Optical Design

Optical Design: Applying the Fundamentals is written for engineers and scientists who have some experience in the field of optics and want to know more about the details and derivations of equations used in optical design. Organized by subject, the book begins with the fundamental law of geometric optics, Snell's law of refraction, and states the paraxial ray trace equations, then moves on to thin lenses and increasingly more sophisticated components and multi-element systems. Each subject is covered in depth and provides comprehensive information on performance and limitations.

While the text is based on general optical laws, special emphasis has been placed on the two, major infrared regions the mid wave (MWIR) and the long wave (LWIR). This is particularly important with regard to diffractive hybrids, which have found their place in these long wavelength areas for the correction of chromatic aberrations and athermalization. Comments relating to single point diamond turning have also been included because this process is predominantly used to produce optical elements for the infrared regions.

Contents
- Law of Refraction: The Foundation of Geometrical Optics
- Optics Fundamentals
- Best Shapes for Multiple Thin Lenses, Aspherizing, and the Natural Stop Position
- Transition from a Thin Lens to a Thick Lens
- Achromats
- Systems with Two Separated Components
- From An Air-Spaced Doublet to a Triplet
- A Hybrid for Two Wavelengths
- Athermats
- The Ball Lens
- Siedel and the Pegel Diagrams
- The Single-Imaging Mirror
- Eight Single Optical Elements as Imaging Objectives
- A Progression of Performance with an Increase in Lens Complexity
- Two-Mirror Systems as Telescope and Microscope Objectives
- The Plane-Parallel Plate
- MTF, Limits, and Pixel Sizes
- Details of a Hybrid Lens
- From the Hoegh Meniscus to Double Anastigmats
- Index

Max J. Riedl was born in Kempten, Germany, where he was educated at the Mathematisch Mechanisches Institut. He also graduated from the Akademie fur angewandte Technik in Munich, where he studied precision mechanics and optics. He has worked in the field of mathematical and optical instruments for many years and holds numerous patents for mechanical, optical, and electro-optical devices. He held technical as well as business leadership positions during the 45 years he lived in the United States. He has published and presented many papers on fundamental lens design as well as on replicating optical elements and diamond turning diffractive optical components for applications in the infrared spectrum. He regularly teaches short courses on these subjects. He is the author of the well-received tutorial text Optical Design Fundamentals for Infrared Systems (SPIE Tutorial Text Vol. TT48), which is now in its second edition. He has also translated that textbook into German. He is a Fellow of SPIE. Presently, he resides in Bavaria, Germany.