RAY OPTICS: MATRICES OF CASCADED OPTICAL COMPONENTS

SUBMITED BY;
FRANK SSEMAKULA
D18130522

COURSE

OPTOELECTRONICS: PHOTONIC MATERIALS AND DEVICES

EXERCISE ONE

INSTRUCTOR
PROF. YULIYA SEMENOVA

11TH-FEBRUARY-2020
INTRODUCTION
Brief overview of the background and theory of the exercise.
Matrix Optics
Matrix optics, also known as the ABCD matrix analysis, is a mathematical form for performing
calculations of the ray tracing in sufficiently simple problems that can be solved considering only
paraxial rays. Each optical element (surface, interface, mirror, or beam travel) is represented by a
matrix that operates on a vector that describes an incoming light ray to measure the outgoing ray.
The multiplication of the successive matrices thus results in a transfer matrix that defines the
entire optical system [1].
A ray is characterized by its position and it angle with respect to the optical axis. The optical
system is then described by a 2 × 2 matrix representing the optical system links ( y 1 ,θ 1) to ( y 2 ,θ 2
) as shown in figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Optical ray path from input plane to output plane[1].

When all angles are sufficiently small for paraxial approximation. The relationship between the
above two points can be given by the equations below.
y 2= A y 1 +B θ1 (1)
θ 2 = C y 1 + D θ1 (2)

The above equations 1 and 2 can be expressed into a matrix form which gives a ray transfer
matrix whose elements are A, B, C and D as given below.
y2 A B y1
[ ][
θ2
=
C ][ ]
D θ1

Matrices of simple optical components

Different optical components have got different ray transfer matrices depending on the nature of
the surface onto which refraction or reflection takes place[1].

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Free space propagation
Consider a ray moving a distance d in free space as given in the figure 2 below, its ray transfer
matrix can be given as below.

Figure 2: Free space propagation between planes[1].

Refraction at spherical boundary.

Consider light moving from one medium to another of different refractive indices n1 ∧n2 that is
from air to glass respectively at spherical boundary. The diagram and ray transfer matrix are
given in figure 3 below.

Figure 3: Refraction at a spherical boundary[1].

Matrices of Cascaded Optical Components

A cascade of optical components shown in figure 4 whose ray transfer matrices are M 1 M 2 , …
M N is equivalent to a single optical component of a ray transfer matrix given by M [1].

Figure 4: Ray transfer matrix for cascaded optical components[1].

Note: The order of matrix multiplication is always reversed that is starting from the last matrix to
the very beginning matrix.

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Exercise Questions
Tiny glass balls are often used as lenses to couple light into and out of optical fibres. The fibre
end is located at a distance f from the sphere. For a sphere of radius a = 1 mm and refractive
index n = 1.8, determine f such that a ray parallel to the optical axis at a distance y = 0.7 mm is
focused onto the fibre, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figure 5: Focusing light into an optical fibre with a spherical glass ball .

Question 1
Applying the 2x2 Ray-Transfer Matrix technique, derive analytically a transfer matrix M for the
given system of cascaded optical components, whose elements are A, B, C, D, so that:
y out A B y¿
[ ] [ ][ ]
θout
=
C D θ¿

Assume that the glass sphere can be decomposed into three operations: an input refraction (at
spherical boundary), an internal translation, and exit refraction.

Figure 6: Matrix assignment at different boundaries/points

Key terms from figure 6;

n1- Refractive index of air

n2 - Refractive index of the ball lens

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a- Ball lens radius
f- Focal length between the ball lens and the optical fiber.
Let M a represent the matrix for refraction at the convex spherical boundary from air to the ball
lens at point a where R¿ 0 moving from n1 ton2 .

1 0 1 0

[
M a = −(n2−n1)
n2 R n2]
n1 for R = a, n1 =1 then M a = 1−n2
n2 a [ 1
n2 ]
Let M b represent the matrix for the free space propagation within the ball lens of length 2a.

Mb = [ 10 d1 ] for d = 2a then M b = [ 10 21a ]

Let M c represent the matrix for refraction at the convex spherical boundary from air to the ball
lens at point a where R¿ 0 moving from n2 ton1.

1 0 1 0

[
M c = −(n2−n1)
n2 R n2]
n1 for R = -a, n1 =1 then M c = 1−n2
a [ n2 ]
Let M d represent the matrix for the free space propagation between the fiber and the lens.

Md = [ 10 d1 ] for d = f then M b = [ 10 1f ]
Using matrices of cascaded optical components to simplify matrices to obtain a single equivalent
matrix from figure 4.
M = Md Mc Mb Ma

Multiplying M d M c

f −f n2 a+f −f n2

][ ][ ]
1 0 1+ f n2 f n2
Md Mc =
1 f
0 1 [ ]
1−n2
a [ n2
=
1−n2
a
a
n2
=
a
1−n2
a
n2

Multiplying M d M c M b

a+f −f n2 a+f −f n2
Md Mc Mb = a
1−n2
a
[ f n2

n2 ][ ] [
1 2a
0 1
=
a
1−n2
a
2 a+2 f −f n2

2−n2 ]
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Multiplying M d M c M b M ato obtain the analytical transfer matrix

a+f −f n2
M =M d M c M b M a =
[ a
1−n2
a
2 a+2 f −f n2

2−n2 ][ 1
1−n2
n2 a
0
1
n2 ]
M=¿
Given a general matrix for the optical link as
y out A B y¿
[ ][
θout
=
C ][ ]
D θ¿

Then

M=¿= [ CA DB ]
Obtaining values for A, B, C and D

2 a2+ 2af −n2 a2−2af n 2 1

A= B= (2a+ 2 f −f n2 )
n2 a 2 n2

2 a−2 a n2 1
C= D= (2−n¿¿ 2)¿
n2 a2
n2

Question 2
Based on the derived transfer matrix, find the value of f (distance from the sphere to the fibre
end), that satisfies the condition of y out = 0, while y ¿ = y =0.7 mm and θ¿ = 0.

y out A B y¿
Using [ ][θout
=
C ][ ]
D θ¿

Obtaining simultaneous equations from the above matrix

y out =¿A y ¿ + Bθ¿ (1)

θout =¿C y ¿ + Dθ¿ (2)

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Given y ¿ = 0.7mm, y out = 0, θ¿= 0;

From equation 1, A y ¿ = 0 in order to obtain the value for the focal length f.
¿) × 0.7 = 0

2 a2 +2 af −n2 a 2−2 af n2 = 0

2 af −2 af n2 = n2 a2-2 a2

(n 2 a2 −2 a2)
f=
(2 a−2 a n2)

a(n 2−2)
f= (3)
(2−2 n2)

Substituting n2 = 1.8 and a = 1 mm into equation..

a(n 2−2)
f=
(2−2 n2)

1(1.8−2)
f=
(2−(2 ×1.8))
f = 0.13mm
Question 3
What is the value ofθout ?
2 a−2 a n2
From equation 2, θout = C y ¿ in order to obtain the value forθout when C = , y ¿ = 0.7 mm.
n2 a2

(2 a−2 a n2)
θout = 2 ×0.7 when a = 1, n2 =1.8
n2 a

(2− ( 2× 1.8 ))
θout = ×0.7
1.8
−1.2
θout =
1.8
θout = -1.12º

Question 4
Based on the derived equation for the distance f, plot the dependence of focal length f versus
refractive index n of the ball lens (assume it changes in the range from 1 to 2.2). Comment on the
results and graph plotted.

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 a(n 2−2)
Using equation 3, f = to obtain a table and a plot for the focal length f versus refractive
(2−2 n2)
index while keeping a constant.
Table 1: Refractive Index and focal length results

Refractive Index n Focal Length f

1 0.000
1.2 2.000
1.4 0.750
1.6 0.333
1.8 0.125
2 0.000
2.2 -0.083

A plot for the dependence of focal length f versus refractive index

n of the ball lens
2.5
Focal length f (mm)

2
1.5
1
0.5
0
1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4
-0.5
Refractive Index n

Figure 7: A plot for focal length versus refractive index of the ball lens

It can be seen from both table 1 and figure 7 that focal length reduces with increasing refractive
index. There is an sharp increase from n = 1 to n = 2 and a then a gradual decline as far as below
0 mm focal length with a refractive index of 2.2. Hence materials with higher refractive indices
have got lower focal length than those with lower refractive indices.
Question 5
Based on the derived equation for the distance f, plot the dependence of f versus radius a of the
ball lens (assume it changes in the range from 0.3 to 3 mm). Comment on the results and graph
plotted.
a(n 2−2)
Using equation 3, f = to obtain a table and a plot for the focal length f versus ball lens
(2−2 n2)
radius a while keeping refractive index constant.

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 Table 2: Focal length and ball lens radius results

Ball Lens Radius a (mm) Focal Length f (mm)

0.3 0.0375
0.6 0.075
0.9 0.1125
1.2 0.15
1.5 0.1875
1.8 0.225
2.1 0.2625
2.4 0.3
2.7 0.3375
3 0.375

A plot for the dependence of focal length f versus radius a of

the ball lens
0.4
Focal Length f (mm)

0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

Ball Lens Radius a (mm)

Figure 8: A plot for focal length versus ball lens radius

It can be seen from both table 2 and figure 8, that the focal length increases with increasing ball
lens radius. At 0.3mm ball lens radius, a focal length of 0.0375mm was obtained which increased
linearly to a focal length of 0.375mm at 3.0mm ball lens radius.

CONCLUSIONS
Matrix optics is a very important technique for tracing paraxial rays and it is only applicable
within a single plane.
Refraction through different materials such as space, lenses and different boundaries have got
different ray transfer matrices. Considering matrices of cascaded optical components, the order

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of matrix multiplication is always reversed that is starting from the last matrix to the very
beginning matrix.
The focal length is directly proportional to the ball lens radius while inversely proportional to the
refractive index of the ball lens.

REFERENCES
[1] B. E. A. Saleh, “Fundamentals of Photonics.” John Willey & Sons, Inc., 1991.