Spatial Three-Mirror Off-Axis Freeform Optical System without Any Symmetry

Abstract

In this manuscript, we have launched a study on the completely nonsymmetric freeform optical system with neither rotational symmetry nor planar symmetry. An off-axis three-mirror freeform optical system with nonsymmetric geometry is proposed and a direct design method is developed for the nonsymmetric freeform optical system. The design field points are sampled across the full FOV to control the imaging quality and object–image relationship. In this system, the center of the image plane is greatly away from the plane determined by the centers of the three mirrors. This nonsymmetric system with F/1.3, a focal length of 50 mm, and an 8° × 6° field of view can achieve imaging quality close to the diffraction limit. This work provides a feasible nonsymmetric system design idea for the optical community.

Keywords

• imaging system
• freeform surface
• nonsymmetric system
• three-mirror off-axis