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Imaging from the visible to the longwave infrared wavelengths via an inverse-designed flat lens

Optics Express, ISSN: 1094-4087, Vol: 29, Issue: 13, Page: 20715-20723
2021
  • 23
    Citations
  • 0
    Usage
  • 40
    Captures
  • 0
    Mentions
  • 0
    Social Media
Metric Options:   Counts1 Year3 Year

Metrics Details

  • Citations
    23
    • Citation Indexes
      23
  • Captures
    40

Article Description

It is generally assumed that correcting chromatic aberrations in imaging requires multiple optical elements. Here, we show that by allowing the phase in the image plane to be a free parameter, it is possible to correct chromatic variation of focal length over an extremely large bandwidth, from the visible (Vis) to the longwave infrared (LWIR) wavelengths using a single diffractive surface, i.e., a flat lens. Specifically, we designed, fabricated and characterized a flat, multi-level diffractive lens (MDL) with a thickness of ≤ 10μm, diameter of ∼1mm, and focal length of 18mm, which was constant over the operating bandwidth of λ=0.45μm (blue) to 15μm (LWIR). We experimentally characterized the point-spread functions, aberrations and imaging performance of cameras comprised of this MDL and appropriate image sensors for λ=0.45μm to 11μm. We further show using simulations that such extreme achromatic MDLs can be achieved even at high numerical apertures (NA=0.81). By drastically increasing the operating bandwidth and eliminating several refractive lenses, our approach enables thinner, lighter and simpler imaging systems.

Bibliographic Details

Meem, Monjurul; Majumder, Apratim; Banerji, Sourangsu; Garcia, Juan C; Kigner, Orrin B; Hon, Philip W C; Sensale-Rodriguez, Berardi; Menon, Rajesh

Optica Publishing Group

Physics and Astronomy

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