Wide-aperture infrared lenses with hyper-hemispherical fields of view

Claim 2

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, wherein said lens elements form an image of said distant scene, where said scene subtends a solid angle of about 270°.

Claim 3

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 42.78 1.31 Germanium 2 25.97 63.51 3 -34.17 1.57 Geranium Conic constant: 3.326 4 -41.21 21.08 5 -48.14 1.83 Geranium 6 -36.45 0.05 7 24.53 1.83 Germanium 8 35.39 3.65 Aperture stop ∞ 15.25 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 4

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 42.78 1.31 Germanium 2 25.97 63.51 3 -34.17 1.57 Geranium Conic constant: 3.326 4 -41.21 21.08 5 -48.14 1.83 Geranium 6 -36.45 0.05 7 24.53 1.83 Germanium 8 35.39 3.65 Aperture stop ∞ 15.25 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 5

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 54.50 1.38 Silicon 2 29.98 74.76 3 -37.65 1.65 Silicon Conic constant: 4.856 4 -46.23 20.95 5 -53.02 1.93 Silicon 6 -35.01 0.06 7 21.09 1.93 Silicon 8 30.01 3.96 Aperture stop ∞ 14.00 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 6

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 54.50 1.38 Silicon 2 29.98 74.76 3 -37.65 1.65 Silicon Conic constant: 4.856 4 -46.23 20.95 5 -53.02 1.93 Silicon 6 -35.01 0.06 7 21.09 1.93 Silicon 8 30.01 3.96 Aperture stop ∞ 14.00 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 7

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 50.63 1.29 Germanium 2 31.12 76.23 3 -40.19 1.55 Germanium Conic constant: 4.800 A = -0.1390 × 10.sup.-5 ; B = -0.1176 × 10.sup.-7 ; C = 0.4306 × 10.sup.-11 ; D = -0.4016 × 10.sup.-12 4 -57.40 22.30 5 -50.17 3.62 Germanium 6 -36.71 0.10 7 23.44 3.10 Germanium 8 28.70 4.08 Aperture stop ∞ 16.29 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 8

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 50.63 1.29 Germanium 2 31.12 76.23 3 -40.19 1.55 Germanium Conic constant: 4.800 A = -0.1390 × 10.sup.-5 ; B = -0.1176 × 10.sup.-7 ; C = 0.4306 × 10.sup.-11 ; D = -0.4016 × 10.sup.-12 4 -57.40 22.30 5 -50.17 3.62 Germanium 6 -36.71 0.10 7 23.44 3.10 Germanium 8 28.70 4.08 Aperture stop ∞ 16.29 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 9

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 42.22 1.30 Germanium 2 25.77 62.41 3 -28.98 1.57 Germanium Conic constant: 1.566 A = -0.5486 × 10.sup.-6 ; B = -0.1148 × 10.sup.-7 ; C = -0.3718 × 10.sup.-11 ; D = 0.2724 × 10.sup.-12 4 -34.33 22.12 5 37.06 2.66 Germanium 6 197.42 3.65 Conic constant: 104.771 A = 0.3673 × 10.sup.-5 ; B = -0.1931 × 10.sup.-7 ; C = 0.1195 × 10.sup.-9 ; D = -0.3890 × 10.sup.-12 Aperture stop ∞ 14.97 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 10

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 42.22 1.30 Germanium 2 25.77 62.41 3 -28.98 1.57 Germanium Conic constant: 1.566 A = -0.5486 × 10.sup.-6 ; B = -0.1148 × 10.sup.-7 ; C = -0.3718 × 10.sup.-11 ; D = 0.2724 × 10.sup.-12 4 -34.33 22.12 5 37.06 2.66 Germanium 6 197.42 3.65 Conic constant: 104.771 A = 0.3673 × 10.sup.-5 ; B = -0.1931 × 10.sup.-7 ; C = 0.1195 × 10.sup.-9 ; D = -0.3890 × 10.sup.-12 Aperture stop ∞ 14.97 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 11

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 48.51 1.40 Germanium 2 28.54 73.30 3 247.09 1.68 Geranium 4 -333.31 2.99 5 -25.54 1.68 Geranium 6 -36.02 23.73 7 -1270.00 1.96 Germanium 8 -100.61 0.06 9 21.21 1.96 Germanium 10 25.32 3.38 Aperture stop ∞ 16.29 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.

Claim 12

An optical system for forming an infrared image of a distant scene on a focal surface, said distant scene subtending a solid angle greater than 2π steradians about an optic axis normal to said focal surface, said optical system comprising a plurality of lens elements disposed coaxially along said optic axis, said lens elements coacting with each other to achieve substantial correction of said optical system for geometrical aberrations, comprising lens elements that are configured and positioned with respect to each other along said optic axis substantially according to a design form specified as follows: ______________________________________ Surface Radius Thickness No. (mm) (mm) Material ______________________________________ 1 48.51 1.40 Germanium 2 28.54 73.30 3 247.09 1.68 Geranium 4 -333.31 2.99 5 -25.54 1.68 Geranium 6 -36.02 23.73 7 -1270.00 1.96 Germanium 8 -100.61 0.06 9 21.21 1.96 Germanium 10 25.32 3.38 Aperture stop ∞ 16.29 Image plane ∞ ______________________________________ where the surfaces of the lens elements are numbered consecutively from left to right along the optic axis.