Image Formation
Ray-tracing is an extremely powerful technique in the design and analysis of image forming systems. Wave effects are typically included by the MTF concept. However, wave-optical effects beyond the basic MTF approach can have serious impact on innovative image-forming systems. In particular the point spread function PSF becomes space variant. Moreover, high NA systems have also global and local effects on the polarization of light and therefore on the PSF. In general a local variation of the PSF has significant influence on the image formation. The degree of coherence is another parameter which can have enormous impact. In short, in micro- as well as macro-optics you may face an image formation problem, for which you need much more than ray-tracing.
LightTrans has developed techniques for various situations in which an advanced wave-optical analysis of image forming systems is required to get a full insight into the power and the limitations of the system. Using our electromagnetic simulation concept, we should be able to solve your analysis problem and to provide you all missing information about your image forming system you are looking for. And the best is: We will not only deliver the answers you demand for but we are able to provide you with a customized VirtualLab™ module to enable you to do such investigations yourselves in future.
Contact us at service(at)lighttrans.com or call at +49 (0) 36 41. 67 54 31. We are ready to support you.
- The PSF describes the image formation of object points. Aberrations and diffraction effects influence the result. We calculate the local variance of PSFs without any approximation but by propagating a grid of coherent or incoherent object point sources through the optical system. This way you get a fast and safe wave-optical overview about your image formation problem.
