ECEA 5602 Design of High-Performance Optical Systems
3rd and final course in the Optical Engineering Specialization
Instructor: Robert McLeod,ÌýPh.D., Professor
Optical instruments are how we see the world, from corrective eyewear to medical endoscopes to cell phone cameras to orbiting telescopes. This course extends what you have learned about first-order, paraxial system design and optical resolution and efficiency with the introduction to real lenses and their imperfections.Ìý
Prior knowledge needed: Undergraduate level physics, Undergraduate level calculus such (e.g. manipulating integrals and derivatives, trigonometry and linear algebra, engineering problem solving skills), Ability to run windows programs (Optics Studio) and Experience with Matlab or equivalent platform and Mathematica can be helpful.
Learning Outcomes
- How different wavelengths propagate through systems, then move on to aberrations that appear with high angle, non-paraxial systems and how to correct for those problems.
- Optical components beyond lenses and an excellent example of a high-performance optical system – the human eye.
- The mathematical tools required for analysis of high-performance systems are complicated enough that this course will rely more heavily on OpticStudio by Zemax.
- Analyze systems that are too complicated for the simple analysis thus far introduced in this set of courses.
Syllabus
Duration: 4 hours
We now move away from the first-order approximations and into real lenses and imperfect optical systems. We begin with a description of how different wavelengths propagate through systems.
Duration: 4Ìýhours
This module introduces the many types and causes of monochromatic imperfections in optical systems. We begin with the mathematical background of the causes of aberrations, then introduce a number of common aberrations so that you may recognize them in your own systems.
Duration: 3 hours
This module continues to discuss monochromatic imperfections in optical systems. We introduce field curvature and distortion so that you may recognize them in your own systems and then summarize the causes and effects of 3rd order aberrations along with the mathematical tools to describe them.
Duration: 4 hours
The previous three modules have discussed the various types of aberrations you will find in your optical systems. We now move to how to design a system that limits those aberrations.
Duration: 6 hours
In this last module before the capstone, we change gears from aberrations and discuss a number of other optical elements that are usual in systems other than lenses. We cover light shaping with prisms, GRIN lenses, diffractive optics such as diffraction gratings and Fresnel lenses. Then we finish with an important optical element to all of us - the human eye. This module covers a lot of material and may take you a bit longer than the others.
Duration: 2Ìýhours
Final exam for this course.
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Grading
Assignment | Percentage of Grade |
Week 1: Chromatic Aberrations Quiz | 14% |
Week 2: Aberration Identification Quiz | 6% |
Week 2: Wavefront and ray aberrations Quiz | 8% |
Week 3: Field Curvature and Distortion Quiz | 14% |
Week 4: Techniques for Reduction of Aberrations Quiz | 14% |
Week 5: Optical Components Quick | 14% |
Week 6: Final Exam | 30% |
Letter Grade Rubric
Letter GradeÌý | Minimum Percentage |
A | 93% |
A- | 90% |
B+ | 87% |
B | 83% |
B- | 80% |
C+ | 77% |
C | 73% |
C- | 70% |
D+ | 67% |
D | 60% |
F | 0% |