Optical System Design

Course Description

Please note: The course descriptions and instructors listed below are NOT final, it is possible that circumstances beyond our control could necessitate alterations.

2024: Offered remotely as a full series, registrations for individual lectures will not be permitted, and in person


June 10, Monday

AM Session from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (in person and remote option)

First Order Layout of Optical Systems, Professor Julie Bentley (Rochester)

This short course begins with a review of fundamental first-order geometrical optical concepts such as optical path, Snell's law, focal length, magnification, cardinal points, pupils, and paraxial ray tracing. The first-order concepts are then applied to the design and thin-lens layout of a wide variety of optical systems/instruments ranging from the eye to magnifiers, telescopes, microscopes, camera objectives, eyepieces, relay lenses, and illumination systems.

June 10, Monday

PM Session from 2:30-5:30 p.m. (in person and remote option)

Image Quality Evaluation and Aberration Theory, Professor Julie Bentley (Rochester)

Common image quality metrics (e.g. spot diagrams, transverse ray plots, RMS wavefront, Strehl ratio and MTF) and their uses in optical design will be presented. Then aberration theory is discussed starting with single surface contributions and then thin lens theory. First order chromatic aberrations, 3rd order aberrations (spherical aberration, coma, astigmatism, Petzval, and distortion), and higher order aberrations are covered using the approach of how to first identify them and then how to correct them during the optical design process.

June 11, Tuesday

AM Session from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (in person and remote option)

Optimization and Improving a Design, Professor Julie Bentley (Rochester)

Topics covered include variable definition, local vs global optimization, merit function setup, and optimization algorithms. Optimization tips and standard methods for improving a design (e.g. stop shift, color correction, and splitting and compounding elements) are given.

June 11, Tuesday

PM Session from 2:30-5:30 p.m. (In person only)

Laboratory: Introduction to optical design software (CODEV and Zemax)

Attendees will move to a computer laboratory where they will have access to optical design and analysis software (e.g., CODE V and Zemax) and be given problems in lens entry, image quality evaluation and optimization with instructors on hand to assist and answers questions.

June 12, Wednesday

AM Session from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (in person and remote option)

Illumination Design, Rich N. Pfisterer (Photon Engineering)

Basics of illumination design, review of radiometry and photometry, etendue, ray statistics, modeling sources, compound parabolic concentrators (CPCs), edge ray principle, lightpipes, hybrid optics, an introduction to backlit displays and projection displays, tolerancing.

June 12, Wednesday

PM Session from 2:30-5:30 p.m. (in person only)

Laboratory: introduction to optical engineering software (FRED), Rich N. Pfisterer (Photon Engineering)

Attendees will move to a computer laboratory where they will have access to FRED and be given problems in illumination design with instructors on hand to assist and answers questions.

June 13, Thursday

AM Session from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (in person and remote option)

Stray Light Analysis, Mr. Rich N. Pfistererer (Photon Engineering)

Stray light mechanisms, bidirectional scatter distribution function (BSDF), total integrated scatter (TIS), Lambertian scatter, scatter from optical surfaces, scatter from paints, scatter from particulates, rough surfaces, a rational approach to stray light analysis, stray light metrics (PST, percent stray light, contrast/veiling glare, ghost image formation, unintended diffraction orders, thermal self-emission, infield stray light, diffraction), well-baffled systems.

June 13, Thursday

PM Session from 2:30-5:30 p.m. (in person and remote option)

Refractive and Reflective Optical Design Forms, Professor Julie Bentley (Rochester)

A survey of both refractive and reflective design forms will be discussed along with their limiting aberrations and uses in optical systems. Refractive design forms to be covered range from simple singlets to wide angle and telephoto designs. Reflective design forms to be covered range from a two element Cassegrain to three and four mirror unobscured anastigmats.

June 14, Friday

AM Session from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. (in person and remote option)

Introduction to Tolerancing, Professor Julie Bentley (Rochester)

Topics covered include variable definition, local vs global optimization, merit function setup, and optimization algorithms. Optimization tips and standard methods for improving a design (e.g., stop shift, color correction, and splitting and compounding elements) are given. A review of the tolerance process from assigning initial tolerance values, generating error budgets, performing a sensitivity analysis, selecting appropriate compensators, probability distributions, and Monte Carlo analyses.

June 14, Friday

PM Session from 2:30-5:30 p.m. (in person only)

Laboratory: Tolerancing a Lens Using Optical Design Software (CODEV and Zemax)

Attendees will move to a computer laboratory where they will have access to optical design and analysis software (e.g., CODE V and Zemax) and be given problems in tolerancing with instructors on hand to assist and answers questions.