Elsevier

Optik

Volume 279, May 2023, 170746
Optik

Original research article
Geometric optical transfer function and pupil sampling patterns

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijleo.2023.170746Get rights and content
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open access

Highlights

  • The geometrical transfer function is calculated by the spot diagram.

  • Pupil sampling patterns are a key point to determine the geometrical transfer function.

  • The spiral pattern requires less rays to calculate the geometrical transfer function.

Abstract

We have studied several pupil sampling patterns for calculating the optical transfer function corresponding to actual non-diffraction limited optical imaging systems, in the low range of spatial frequencies, i.e., where the geometric approach is valid, by means of the Fourier Transform of the spot diagram. Then, we have compared the diffraction and the geometric optical transfer functions to ascertain if there is a sampling pattern that accurately calculates the latter within a 5% of difference, and having less number of sampling points. The results show that, overall, the non redundant spiral pupil sampling provides the best choice. This could be valuable when optimizing or characterizing optical imaging systems in the non-diffraction limited range by harnessing raytracing.

Keywords

Imaging systems
Optical transfer functions
Optical aberrations
Optical raytracing

Data availability

No data was used for the research described in the article.

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