Hybrid refractive/diffractive achromatic camera lens

Claim 2

A hybrid refractive and diffractive achromat lens operating in a visible spectral wavelength range at least 200 nm wide, which lens comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive portion having power but which introduces chromatic aberration in the visible spectral range, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number and sufficient optical power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over the visible spectral range from about 440 nm to about 650 nm.

Claim 3

A lens according to claim 1, wherein said second surface is a diffractive surface.

Claim 4

A lens according to claim 2, wherein said lens is a single lens component.

Claim 5

A lens according to claim 2, wherein said both surfaces are curved.

Claim 6

A lens according to claim 1, wherein said lens is a single lens component.

Claim 7

A lens according to claim 1, wherein both of said surfaces are curved.

Claim 8

A lens according to claim 1 in which at least one surface is an aspheric surface.

Claim 9

The lens according to claim 1, wherein said refractive portion has a monochromatic and chromatic aberration, and said diffractive portion has means for correcting said monochromatic aberration as well as said longitudinal chromatic aberration.

Claim 10

The lens according to claim 8, wherein said monochromatic aberration is at least spherical aberration and coma.

Claim 11

The lens according to claim 1, wherein said refractive portion and said diffractive portion both have positive power.

Claim 12

The lens according to claim 10, wherein said refractive portion has about 85-97% of the total power of said lens.

Claim 13

The lens according to claim 10, wherein ν diff is about -3.5.

Claim 14

The lens according to claim 1, wherein said diffractive portion has an Abbe ν-number, ν diff , and said ν diff is negative.

Claim 15

The lens according to claim 1, wherein said curved surface is said first surface and said second surface has a diffractive zone pattern defining said diffractive portion.

Claim 16

The lens according to claim 14, wherein the diffractive portion defined by said pattern introduces a phase delay φ which can be described by the following equation: ##EQU19## where λ o is the wavelength in the center of said range, A 2 , A 4 , A 6 , A 8 , A 10 , are phase terms, A 2 =1/(2f), where f is the focal length of the diffractive portion and A 4 , A 6 , A 8 , and A 10 affect monochromatic aberration and depend upon the aspheric coefficients, AD, AE, AF and AG of the curved surface where Z is the surface sag from a plane perpendicular to the optical axis tangent to the curved surface where: ##EQU20## where C is the curvature of the curved surface measured along the radial coordinate r from a point on the optical axis.

Claim 17

The lens according to claim 1, wherein the power of the refractive portion φ ref and the power of the diffractive portion φ diff add to provide the total power φ tot of the lens, are proportional such that the longitudinal chromatic aberration is approximately zero and are defined in accordance with the Abbe ν-number, ν diff and ν ref of the diffractive and refractive portions as follows: ##EQU21##

Claim 18

A hybrid refractive and diffractive lens component for visible light camera applications, which lens component comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, said first and second surfaces being intersected successively by an optical axis of said lens which extends in a longitudinal direction, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive element having power and longitudinal chromatic aberration, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number, sufficient power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over at least the range 490 nm to 650 nm.

Claim 19

A hybrid refractive and diffractive lens component for visible light camera applications, which lens component comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, said first and second surfaces being intersected successively by an optical axis of said lens which extends in a longitudinal direction, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive element having power and longitudinal chromatic aberration, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number, sufficient power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over at least the range 490 nm to 650 nm.

Claim 20

A lens component according to claim 17, wherein both of said surfaces are curved.

Claim 21

The lens component according to claim 17, wherein said refractive element and said diffractive element both have positive power.

Claim 22

The lens component according to claim 19, wherein said refractive element has about 90% of the total power of said lens.

Claim 23

The lens component according to claim 17, wherein said curved surface is said first surface and said second surface has a diffractive zone pattern defining said diffractive element.

Claim 24

The lens component according to claim 17, wherein the diffractive element defined by said pattern introduces a phase delay φ which can be described by the following equation: ##EQU22## where λ o is the wavelength in the center of said range, A 2 , A 4 , A 6 , A 8 , A 10 , are phase terms, A 2 =1/(2f), where f is the focal length of the diffractive element and A 4 , A 6 , A 8 , and A 10 affect monochromatic aberration and depend upon the aspheric coefficients, AD, AE, AF and AG of the curved surface where Z is the surface sag from a plane perpendicular to the optical axis tangent to the curved surface where: ##EQU23## where C is the curvature of the curved surface measured along the radial coordinate r from a point on the optical axis.

Claim 25

A lens according to claim 1, wherein said diffractive portion is formed by a diffractive surface which is continuously blazed and thus is not binary.

Claim 26

A lens according to claim 1 having said zone spacings d and said heights h where 1 μm<d<1000 μm, and 0.81 μm<h<1.41 μm.

Claim 27

A hybride refractive and diffractive achromat lens operating in a visible spectral wavelength range at least 200 nm wide, which lens comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive portion having power but which introduces chromatic aberration, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number and sufficient optical power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over about 440 nm to about 650 nm and said lens is capable of operating at an F-number in a range of 5.6<f/#<12 and has a focal length f in the range of 15 mm<f.

Claim 28

A hybride refractive and diffractive achromat lens operating in a visible spectral wavelength range at least 200 nm wide, which lens comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive portion having power but which introduces chromatic aberration, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number and sufficient optical power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over about 440 nm to about 650 nm and said lens is capable of operating at an F-number in a range of 5.6<f/#<12 and has a focal length f in the range of 15 mm<f.

Claim 29

A lens according to claim 25, wherein 20 mm<f<40 mm.

Claim 30

A lens according to claim 25, wherein said lens is a single lens component.

Claim 31

A lens according to claim 34, wherein said both surfaces are curved.

Claim 32

A lens according to claim 25, wherein such lens is a meniscus lens component.

Claim 33

A lens according to claim 25, in wherein such lens has a thickness between 1 and 3 mm.

Claim 34

The lens according to claim 25, wherein said refractive portion and said diffractive portion both have positive power.

Claim 35

A hybrid refractive and diffractive achromat lens suited for single use or inexpensive single lens cameras operating in a visible spectral wavelength range at least 200 nm wide, which lens being a single lens component which comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive portion having power but which introduces chromatic aberration, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number and sufficient optical power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over about 490 nm to about 650 nm, and said lens is capable of operating at an F-number in a range of 5.6 <f/#<12 and has a focal length f in the range of 15 mm<f.

Claim 36

A hybrid refractive and diffractive achromat lens suited for single use or inexpensive single lens cameras operating in a visible spectral wavelength range at least 200 nm wide, which lens being a single lens component which comprises a body of optically transmissive material having an index of refraction at a wavelength approximately in the center of said range of at least 1.45, said body having first and second surfaces on opposite sides thereof, at least one of said surfaces being curved to provide a refractive portion having power but which introduces chromatic aberration, said lens having a diffractive portion having a negative ν-number and sufficient optical power and provided by a diffractive surface having sufficient zone spacings d and heights h of echelons to substantially achromatize said lens for said chromatic aberration of said refractive portion over about 490 nm to about 650 nm, and said lens is capable of operating at an F-number in a range of 5.6 <f/#<12 and has a focal length f in the range of 15 mm<f.