Imaging ball lens optically immersed with a fiber optic faceplate
US5311611A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 4, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 10, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 4, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B13/00
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An imaging ball lens for wide field of view applications includes three elements. A first element is a plano-convex lens element with a convex and planar surface, the convex surface positioned facing an object side of the lens. The second plano-convex lens element has a convex and a planar surface. The planar surface of the second lens element is positioned facing the object side of the lens such that it is optically coupled to the planar surface of the first lens element. Also included is a plano-concave fiber optic faceplate with a concave and a planar surface. The concave surface of the faceplate is optically coupled to the convex surface of the second lens element facing the object side of the lens such that it is optically immersed with the fiber optic faceplate. A curved focal plane formed at the convex surface of the second lens element is mapped into a flat focal plane at the planar surface of the fiber optic faceplate defining a clear image essentially free from coma and astigmatic aberration and displaying a minimum of chromatic aberration.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.