Variable-Focus Optical System Aberration Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional variable-focus optical systems in microscopes, which simplify the front-group and rear-group optical systems into single lenses, fail to achieve excellent image quality due to aberration issues.
Innovation Solution
A variable-focus optical system is designed with a front-group optical system having positive power and a rear-group optical system with similar power, comprising multiple optical groups with specific lens configurations and materials to correct aberrations, including the use of joined lenses with negative power and lenses made of low- and high-dispersion materials to manage chromatic and spherical aberrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the front-group optical system and rear-group optical system are simplified into single lenses, then the device complexity is reduced, but the image quality deteriorates due to aberration issues
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is divided into multiple lens groups (front-group with G1, G2, G3 and rear-group with G4, G5, G6) instead of using single lenses. Each group contains specific lens elements with defined powers and configurations that work together to correct various aberrations while maintaining the variable-focus function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite lens structures including joined lenses formed by joining lenses made of low-dispersion material with lenses made of high-dispersion material. This composite approach allows simultaneous correction of chromatic aberration and spherical aberration, achieving excellent image quality that cannot be obtained with single homogeneous lenses.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple lens groups are used to correct aberrations, then the image quality is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple lens groups are merged into a unified variable-focus optical system where the front-group (G1-G3) and rear-group (G4-G6) work in coordination. The driving unit integrates the movement of these groups to relatively change their distances while maintaining proper optical relationships, achieving aberration correction without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes specific parameters of the lens groups including their powers, focal lengths, and relative positions. By carefully controlling parameters such as the power relationships between groups and the distances they can move relative to each other, the system achieves effective aberration correction while keeping the overall structure manageable.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the working distance of the objective optical system is varied, then the adaptability is improved, but the magnification changes which affects image quality
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is designed with dynamic lens groups (G1-G3 and G4-G6) that can move relative to each other in the optical axis direction. This dynamic configuration allows the system to adjust the working distance of the objective optical system while maintaining a substantially constant observation magnification, achieving both adaptability and magnification stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The front-group optical system (G1-G3) and rear-group optical system (G4-G6) act as intermediary elements between the objective optical system and the imaging optical system. By adjusting the relative positions of these intermediary groups, the system can vary the effective working distance while compensating for magnification changes, thus maintaining stable imaging conditions.
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
The system effectively corrects aberrations, maintaining image quality while allowing for variation in working distance without changing magnification, thereby achieving excellent image acquisition.
Implementation Method 1
a lens made of a low-dispersion material with a small refractive index and a lens made of a high-dispersion material with a large refractive index
Implementation Method 2
the first-group optical system consists of a single joined lens formed by joining, at a joining surface having negative power
Implementation Method 3
the second-group optical system consists of a positive-power lens disposed closest to the objective optical system such that a convex surface faces the objective optical system
Data Source
AI summary
Aberrations are sufficiently corrected, and an excellent image is acquired. Provided is a variable-focus optical system including a positive-power front-group optical system, a rear-group optical system having the same power, and an optical-system driving unit configured to relatively change the distance therebetween in the optical axis direction, wherein the front-group optical system consists of a positive-power first-group optical system formed of a joined lens, that is, a lens L1 and a lens L2, a positive-power second-group optical system consisting of a lens L3, and a third-group optical system formed of a lens L4 and a lens L5, and the rear-group optical system consists of a positive-power fourth-group optical system formed of a lens L7 and a lens L6, a fifth-group optical system consisting of a positive-power lens L8, and a positive-power sixth-group optical system formed of a joined lens, that is, a lens L10 and a lens L9.