Optical lens compression via transformation optics
- 1 September 2009
- journal article
- Published by Optica Publishing Group in Optics Express
- Vol. 17 (19), 16535-16542
- https://doi.org/10.1364/oe.17.016535
Abstract
Transformation optics is widely associated with the design of unconventional electromagnetic devices, such as electromagnetic cloaks or concentrators. However, a wide range of conventional optical devices with potentially advantageous properties can be designed by the transformation optical approach. For example, a coordinate transformation can be introduced that compresses a region of space, resulting in an overall decrease in the thickness of an optical instrument such as a lens. The optical properties of a transformed lens, such as Fresnel reflection or aberration profile, are equivalent to those of the original lens, while the transformed lens and the bounding transformation optical material are thinner than the original lens. This approach to flattening the profile of a lens represents an advantage over the use of a higher dielectric material because it does not introduce greater Fresnel reflections or require a redesign of the basic optic. Though transformation optical media are generally anisotropic, with both electric and magnetic response, it is possible to arrive at a dielectric-only transformation optical distribution for a lens interacting with transverse-magnetic (TM) polarized light. The dielectric-only distribution can be implemented using broad-band, low-loss metamaterials. Lens designs for both a full transformation and a dielectric-only implementation are discussed and confirmed via finite-element simulations.Keywords
This publication has 27 references indexed in Scilit:
- Transformation-optical design of sharp waveguide bends and cornersApplied Physics Letters, 2008
- Polarization splitter and polarization rotator designs based on transformation opticsOptics Express, 2008
- Transformation-optical design of adaptive beam bends and beam expandersOptics Express, 2008
- Optical Design of Reflectionless Complex Media by Finite Embedded Coordinate TransformationsPhysical Review Letters, 2008
- Magnifying perfect lens and superlens design by coordinate transformationPhysical Review B, 2008
- Impedance-matched hyperlensOptics Letters, 2007
- Optical cloaking with metamaterialsNature Photonics, 2007
- Transformation-designed optical elementsOptics Express, 2007
- Optical Conformal MappingScience, 2006
- Controlling Electromagnetic FieldsScience, 2006