Abstract

We describe and analyze an optical device capable of generating tilt, defocus, astigmatism, coma, and spherical aberration wave-front deformation. This optical device consists of a pair of aspheric plates that produce aberrations by laterally shifting one plate relative to the other. The surface descriptions of these optical plates are provided, and their aberration-inducing properties are verified with ray-tracing software. In addition, we examine the versatility and the limitations of using variable aberration generators and provide insight into how aberrations may be controlled by a simple lateral shift. The device may find application in aberration control in lens systems that are nonrotationally symmetric.

© 1999 Optical Society of America

Phase plates for generation of variable amounts of primary spherical aberration

Eva Acosta and José Sasián
Opt. Express 19(14) 13171-13178 (2011)

Variable aberration generators using rotated Zernike plates

Eva Acosta and Salvador Bará
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 22(9) 1993-1996 (2005)

Evaluation of Large Aberrations Using a Lateral-Shear Interferometer Having Variable Shear

M. P. Rimmer and J. C. Wyant
Appl. Opt. 14(1) 142-150 (1975)

Aberration generator

Richard A. Buchroeder and R. Brian Hooker
Appl. Opt. 14(10) 2476-2479 (1975)

Generation of third-order spherical and coma aberrations by use of radially symmetrical fourth-order lenses

N. López-Gil, H. C. Howland, B. Howland, N. Charman, and R. Applegate
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 15(9) 2563-2571 (1998)