Geometrical Optics

Lecture 3
中央大學光電所
副教授
梁肇文 博士
 Sign Convention
• Light travels from left to right
• Point of intersection between surface and optical axis is
taken as the local coordinate origin O (Vertex point).
• All distances are measured from O.
• Distances to the up and right of O is positive and vice-
versa.
• Angles are measured from the reference line (Surface
normal or Optical Axis).
• Counter-clockwise is positive and vice-versa.
• The sign of all refractive indices following a reflection are
reversed.
 Derive Conjugate equation from
Snell’s Law

ni  n ' i ' n(u   )  n '(u '  ) Conjugate Equation

i  u  Note Sign
Convention! n ' n (n ' n)
i '  u '   
h h h h
n     n '  
l' l R
 l R l' R
 Conjugate Equation
n' n
  c( n ' n)
l' l
•C: Curvature of Surface = 1/R ;
•Primed  image Space ; Unprimed  object Space
•All rays from A in object space end up A’ in image space, independent of ray
angle u.
•Also known as Gaussian Equation.
•Also known as Collinear Mapping Relation
 Power and focal length
K  c ( n ' n) n' n Unit : D,
 K Diopeter
Also used   c ( n ' n) l' l
n n
Front focal length f   F : Front focal point
c(n ' n) K
n' n'
Rear focal length f '  F’ : Rear focal point
c(n ' n) K
 Mirrors
Treat Mirror as a special case
of Snell’s law with n2 = -n1
i  i '
sin(i )   sin(i ')
n sin(i)  (n)sin(i ')

We can also see the effect of a   wt  kx

negative refractive index from
w w
a harmonic wave equation. v  0 Negative refractive index, left
k nk0 side propagation direction

Apply negative refractive index

in image space into the
conjugate equation 1 1 2 K  2nc
  2c  1 R
l' l R f ' 
2c 2
Special case: Plane mirror, K = 0, C =0;
 Thin lens conjugate equation

n1 ' n1  1
  c1 (n1 ' n1 )    c1 (n  1)
l1 ' l1 l1 ' l1 1 1
  (n  1)(c1  c2 )
n2 ' n2 1 u
  c2 (n2 ' n2 )    c2 (1  n) l2 ' l1
l2 ' l 2 l2 ' l2

First surface generates a real image served as a virtual object of the second surface.
Virtual and Real
 Power of a thin lens
f 'f
1
F
K
F: Effective focal length

 ( K )  (n  1)(c1  c2 )
1 1
  (n  1)(c1  c2 ) 1 1
l2 ' l1   ( K )
l' l
• A negative wavefront with curvature 1/l is converted to a wavefront with 1/l’ with this
lens power K.
• Exam Fermat’s principle…..different glass thickness W.R.T different u angle
 When thin lens not in air

 n
  c1 (   n)
l '1 l1 n' n
  c1 (   n)  c2 ( n '  )
n'  l' l
  c2 (n '  )
l '2 l '1 Front focal length f   nF
Rear focal length f '  n'F
n' n'
f '  When n=n’
With l = -∞ c1 (   n)  c2 (n '  ) K
n n 1 1 
and I’ = ∞ f     (  1)(c1  c2 )
c1 (   n)  c2 (n '  ) K l' l n
 Many thin surfaces in contact,
Magin mirror
When multiple surfaces are in contact and each surface n has power Kn , the
total power K is

K  K1  K 2  K 3  ....
A Magin mirror is equivalent as 3 surfaces in contact
1. Refractive surface c1, refractive index = n
2. Reflective surface c2, refractive index = -n
3. Refractive surface c1, refractive index = -1

K  K1  K 2  K 3  c1 (n  1)  c2 ( n  n)  c1 (1  n)
K  2c1 ( n  1)  2nc2
 Throw
Object to image distance is called as “Throw”. T  l ' l
We can derive from conjugate equation 1/l’-1/l =1/F
l2
T 
lF Object, Image both at lens
T l 2  2lF l l'0
 0
l (l  F ) 2
l  2 F ; l '  2 F
Magnification = -1

Thus, the minimum throw for

a real object, real image
relation is 4F!!
 Magnification Ratio
Single Surface:
u
 ' nl ' nu u’
M  
 n 'l n 'u '
Thin Lens:
 '2  '2  '1 nl '
M 
1 2 1
 M 2 M1 M
With n1’ = n2 ;l1’ = l2 n 'l
Mirror :
l' u
M   With n = -n’
l u'
 Design with Magnification and Throw specification

1 1 1 TM
  F 
l' l F ( M  1) 2
l'
M l '  (1  M ) F
l Often Given F and T
T  l ' l l  ( 1  1)
M
3 equations, 5 variables
 Case study

A projector lens with slide-screen T=10m

Slide height = 2cm
Required image height = 1.6m
What’s the focal length of the lens?

M  160 / 2  80
TM
F   12.2cm
 M  1
2
1 1 1
  Wrong Derivation process in the text book……
l' l F However, the conclusion is correct
l '  25cm
25cm
l' M vis  1
M vis  F
l
 Longitudinal Magnification

1 1
Differentiate Conjugate Equation   ( K )
l' l
dl ' dl
2
 2 0
l' l
dl ' l ' 2
M long  ( ) M 2

dl l
 Exact Longitudinal magnification
between two planes
1 1 1
 
l '  l ' l   l F
1 1 1
 
l' l F
l '  l '
M
l l
l'
M0 
l
 l ' l ' l '  l ' From first 2 equations

l l l l
l '
M long   M 0M
l
 Homework assignment
• Chapter 3

Problems 1,6,7,9,12,15,17