Five-Lens Optical System with Aspheric Surfaces for Low-Light Imaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional optical systems for portable electronic devices face challenges in capturing high-quality images in low-light environments due to limited light intake and difficulty in simultaneously focusing visible and infrared light effectively.
Innovation Solution
The optical image capturing system employs a five-piece optical lens configuration with refractive powers, aspheric surfaces, and inflection points to adjust incident angles and modify optical paths, enhancing light intake and imaging quality while allowing dual-mode functionality for visible and infrared light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a conventional optical system with three or four lenses is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the light intake is limited and imaging quality in low-light environments deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into five distinct lens elements (first lens L1, second lens L2, third lens L3, fourth lens L4, and fifth lens L5), each with specific refractive powers and surface configurations. This segmentation allows each lens to contribute differently to light gathering and image formation, thereby increasing overall light intake while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The optical system is designed to perform multiple functions: it captures visible light for standard imaging and simultaneously focuses infrared light for infrared imaging mode. The five-piece lens configuration with specific aspheric surfaces and inflection points enables dual-mode functionality, allowing the same optical system to serve both visible and infrared wavelengths effectively
2Quantity of substance
If the aperture is increased to improve light intake, then the quantity of light entering the lens increases, but the imaging quality and aberration control may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Aspheric surfaces are employed on multiple lens elements, including the object-side surface of the first lens, the image-side surface of the second lens, and both surfaces of the fifth lens. These aspheric configurations allow the system to maintain precise imaging quality and control aberrations even with a larger aperture, as the curved surfaces optimize light ray convergence across the entire aperture area
Solution Approach 2:
The system utilizes lenses with specific refractive index ranges (1.5 < Nd < 2.0) and carefully controlled Abbe numbers (30 < NA < 70). The fifth lens specifically has a refractive index of 1.7 < Nd5 < 2.0 and Abbe number of 20 < NA5 < 40. These parameter optimizations enable the system to achieve both high light intake and superior imaging quality by controlling dispersion and refraction characteristics
3Measurement precision
If the optical system is designed for high pixels, then the imaging quality improves, but the system becomes more sensitive to optical imperfections and alignment
Solution Approach 1:
Aspheric surfaces on the first, second, and fifth lenses provide superior control over light ray paths, reducing sensitivity to manufacturing tolerances and alignment errors. The aspheric profiles correct for optical aberrations more effectively than spherical surfaces, thereby maintaining high imaging quality and reliability in high-pixel systems
Solution Approach 2:
The fifth lens acts as an intermediary element specifically designed to correct residual aberrations and optimize the final image formation. With both aspheric surfaces and inflection points, this lens serves as a corrective mediator that compensates for imperfections introduced by other lens elements, thereby enhancing overall system reliability
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration significantly improves image quality and light intake, enabling effective image capture in low-light conditions and dual-mode functionality, thereby addressing the limitations of conventional systems.
Implementation Method 1
an optical image capturing system includes a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, a fifth lens, and an image plane from an object side to an image side... The first lens has refractive power
Implementation Method 2
Both the object-side surface and the image-side surface of the fifth lens are aspheric surfaces... At least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses have at least an inflection point on at least a surface thereof
Data Source
AI summary
An optical image capturing system includes, along the optical axis in order from an object side to an image side, a first lens, a second lens, a third lens, a fourth lens, and a fifth lens. At least one lens among the first to the fifth lenses has positive refractive force. The fifth lens can have negative refractive force, wherein both surfaces thereof are aspheric, and at least one surface thereof has an inflection point. The lenses in the optical image capturing system which have refractive power include the first to the fifth lenses. The optical image capturing system can increase aperture value and improve the imaging quality for use in compact cameras.