Abstract

Optical transfer theory is not applicable to objects that have an extension parallel to the optical axis. In this paper a transfer theory is developed that applies to the “longitudinal object,” defined as a radiant line source that is directed in an arbitrary field direction θ. The “longitudinal image,” defined as the irradiance along the resulting gaussian image, is Fourier analyzed, resulting in a “longitudinal transfer theory.” This theory is predicated on the existence of a line of stationarity, along which the longitudinal object must lie. Stationarity is verified in the diffraction-limited case. One result of the theory is a new method for computing the depth of focus.

© 1966 Optical Society of America

Theory and Practice of Image Formation*

A. Maréchal
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 56(12) 1645-1648 (1966)

Optical Transfer of the Three-Dimensional Object*†

B. Roy Frieden
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 57(1) 56-66 (1967)

Restoration of longitudinal images

Yiping Hu and B. Roy Frieden
Appl. Opt. 27(2) 414-418 (1988)

Image Evaluation by Use of the Sampling Theorem*

B. Roy Frieden
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 56(10) 1355-1362 (1966)

Reconstruction of Objects from their Diffraction Images

Harold Osterberg
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 56(6) 723-726 (1966)