Abstract

Group theoretical methods have become a powerful set of tools in the analysis of first-order optical systems. We earlier showed that every axially symmetric SL(2,R) first-order system, including the inverse free propagation process, can be synthesized with at most three thin spherical lenses.¹ It is shown that every system in the larger family of first-order systems corresponding to the group Sp(4,R) can be synthesized using thin cylindrical lenses separated by free propagation sections. Synthesis of a system for scale transformation and image rotation² is worked out in detail.

© 1987 Optical Society of America