Optical imaging

Claim 2

The process of controllably aberrating and then deaberrating images of an object comprising the steps of: a. Imaging said object with light of limited spectral width through an optical system having aberration properties spatially distributed according to a prescribed pattern substantially in the principal plane of said imaging system; b. making a record of the aberrated image formed by said system; and, c. imaging the recorded aberrated image with light having limited spectral width through an optical system having prescribed aberration properties so related to the aberration properties of the first-named system that the aberrated image is deaberrated.

Claim 3

The process according to claim 1 in which said limited spectral width is in each system limited to a range no greater than about 400 angstroms.

Claim 4

The process according to claim 2 in which said known aberration properties and said prescribed aberration properties are the same.

Claim 5

The process according to claim 2 in which said aberration properties are introduced in each system as phase variations.

Claim 6

The process according to claim 2 in which said aberration properties are introduced in each system as amplitude variations.

Claim 7

The process according to claim 2 in which said aberration properties are introduced in each system as a combination of phase and amplitude variations.

Claim 8

The process according to claim 2 in which said making a record is a photosensitive recording process.

Claim 9

The process according to claim 2 in which said optical system in each instance comprises a complex lens system with said aberration properties introduced between elements of said lens system.

Claim 10

An optical image aberrating system comprising: a. a light source having a spectral width of less than 400 angstroms for illuminating a subject to be aberrated; b. an imaging lens; c. means to support a subject to be illuminated and an image-receiving medium at first and second respective conjugate foci of said lens; and d. a symmetrical function aberrating filter positioned substantially in the principal plane of said lens

Claim 11

An optical image aberrating system comprising: a. a light source having a spectral width of less than 400 angstroms for illuminating a subject to be aberrated; b. an imaging lens; c. means to support a subject to be illuminated and an image-receiving medium at first and second respective conjugate foci of said lens; and d. a symmetrical function aberrating filter positioned substantially in the principal plane of said lens

Claim 12

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 9, in which said image lens is of the type exemplified by a telephoto lens having a principal plane external to the lens itself, and said filter is positioned in said plane.

Claim 13

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 9, in which the radius of said filter is greater then Mu max lambda d1/2 pi Where: Mu max maximum spatial frequency in said subject lambda mean wave length of said light source, and d1 is the distance between said subject and said filter

Claim 14

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 9, in which said symmetrical function is even.

Claim 15

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 9, in which said symmetrical function is odd.

Claim 16

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 9, in which said image receiving medium is a photosensitive recording medium.

Claim 19

A system for aberrating and deaberrating according to claim 15, in which said light source is Arranged to transmit light through said subject.

Claim 20

A system for aberrating and deaberrating according to claim 16, in which a light diffusing screen is positioned between said light source and said means to support a subject.

Claim 21

A system or aberrating and deaberrating according to claim 15, in which said light source is arranged to diffusely reflect light from a subject positioned on said means to support.

Claim 22

An optical image aberrating system comprising: a. means to support a subject to be aberrated b. a telephoto type lens c. means to support an image receiving medium d. a symmetrical function aberrating filter positioned in the principal plane of said lens; said means to support a subject being separated from said filter by a first distance, and said means to support an image-receiving medium being separated from said filter by a second distance such that said first distance and said second distance place said subject and said image-receiving medium at conjugate foci of said lens; and e. a light source having a spectral width of less than 400 angstroms positioned for diffusely reflecting light from said subject through said filter and said lens onto said image-receiving medium.

Claim 23

An optical image aberrating system comprising: a. means to support a subject to be aberrated b. a telephoto type lens c. means to support an image receiving medium d. a symmetrical function aberrating filter positioned in the principal plane of said lens; said means to support a subject being separated from said filter by a first distance, and said means to support an image-receiving medium being separated from said filter by a second distance such that said first distance and said second distance place said subject and said image-receiving medium at conjugate foci of said lens; and e. a light source having a spectral width of less than 400 angstroms positioned for diffusely reflecting light from said subject through said filter and said lens onto said image-receiving medium.

Claim 24

An optical image aberrating system comrising: a. a light source having a spectral width of less than 400 angstroms for illuminating a subject to be aberrated b. an imaging lens arranged to form an image of a subject illuminated by said source in an image plane c. means to support a photosensitive recording medium in said image plane; and, d. a symmetrical function modulating filter positioned substantially in the principal plane of said lens.

Claim 25

An optical image aberrating system comrising: a. a light source having a spectral width of less than 400 angstroms for illuminating a subject to be aberrated b. an imaging lens arranged to form an image of a subject illuminated by said source in an image plane c. means to support a photosensitive recording medium in said image plane; and, d. a symmetrical function modulating filter positioned substantially in the principal plane of said lens.

Claim 26

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 20, in which said modulating filter is a phase-modulating filter.

Claim 27

An optical image aberrating system according to claim 20, in which said modulating filter is an amplitude modulating filter.