Open AccessExact wavefronts and caustic surfaces produced by planar ripple lenses
Author(s) -
Maximino AvendañoAlejo,
L. Castañeda,
Iván Moreno
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.23.021637
Subject(s) - wavefront , optics , caustic (mathematics) , planar , physics , lens (geology) , ray , total internal reflection , plane (geometry) , reflection (computer programming) , nonimaging optics , surface (topology) , cardinal point , geometrical optics , refraction , optical axis , geometry , computer science , mathematics , computer graphics (images) , mathematical physics , programming language
We obtain simple exact formulas for both caustic and refracted wavefronts through smooth surfaces by considering an incident plane wavefront propagating along the optical axis, providing a condition for total internal reflection (TIR). On the other hand, a formula to provide the maximum slopes for refracted rays outside of the lens is directly related to the condition to obtain the inflection points on the refracting surface. Demanding simultaneously both conditions can potentially provide the shape for an optimized surface which reduces the gap produced by TIR and to refract efficiently all the light outside of the lens. This has a wide potential in applications on the field of non-imagining systems and illumination.