APPLICATION AND COMPARISON OF ASPHERE AND GRADIENT INDEX TECHNOLOGIES

THE PURPOSE OF THE PROPOSED RESEARCH IS TO UNDERSTAND THE TRADE-OFFS BETWEEN GRADIENT-INDEX OPTICAL SYSTEMS AND ASPHERIC SYSTEMS. IN THE CASE OF GRADIENT-INDEX SYSTEMS, IT IS KNOWN THAT CERTAIN ADDITIONAL DEGREES OF FREEDOM EXIST WHICH MAKE RADIAL GRADIENTS MORE USEFUL THAN AXIAL GRADIENTS AND THAT AXIAL GRADIENTS HAVE THE ADDITIONAL CAPACITY TO CORRECT ABERRATIONS WITH RESPECT TO ASPHERIC SURFACES. HOWEVER, IT HAS NEVER BEEN SHOWN, IN REAL OPTICAL SYSTEMS, WHERE THESE ADVANTAGES LEAD. FOR EXAMPLE, DOES THIS MEAN THE DIFFERENCE OF FEWER NUMBER OF ELEMENTS IN AN AXIAL GRADIENT-INDEX SYSTEM VERSUS ITS ASPHERIC COUNTERPART? IS THE ASPHERIC SYSTEM EASIER OR MORE DIFFICULT TO MAKE THAN AN AXIAL GRADIENT AND, FINALLY, WHAT IS THE EXPECTED COST ADVANTAGE IN LOW VOLUME PRODUCTION (LESS THAN 1,000 PARTS/MONTH) IN THE SHORT TERM (0-3 YEARS) AND THE LONG TERM (4-10 YEARS).