Designing method of zoom optical system

Claim 3

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spherical system, a gradient index system and an aspherical system are selected for the first, second and at least third systems at said selecting step.

Claim 4

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spherical system, a gradient index system and a diffractive optical system are selected for the first, second and at least third systems at said selecting step.

Claim 5

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spherical system, a diffractive optical system and an aspherical system are selected for the first, second and at least third systems at said selecting step.

Claim 6

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a spherical system, a diffractive optical system and a diffractive optical system are selected for the first, second and at least third systems at said selecting step.

Claim 7

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said gradient index system has radial gradient index distribution.

Claim 8

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein third-order aberrations are optimized by optimizing an intrinsic coefficient of each zoom unit at said optimization step.

Claim 9

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein chromatic aberrations are optimized so as to satisfy the following condition: PAC.tbd.BF(λ)-BF(d)=0 where PAC is the axial chromatic aberration, BF(λ) is the back focal length of a zoom unit at each wavelength λ; and BF(d) is the back focal length of the zoom unit at the d-line.

Claim 10

A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a gradient index system satisfies the following condition, when a gradient index system is selected as one of the systems constituting the degree of design freedom of each zoom unit: ##EQU15## where N 0 is an axial refractive index of the gradient index system, and PT is a Petzval sum of the gradient index system.

Claim 11

A product produced by the method of designing a zoom optical system which includes a plurality of zoom units wherein each zoom unit is formed of one optical element comprising the steps of: selecting for each zoom unit a first system from the group consisting of a spherical system and an aspherical system, selecting a second system from the group consisting of a gradient index system and a diffractive optical system, and selecting at least a third system from the group consisting of an aspherical system and a diffractive optical system, the first, second and at least third systems constituting a degree of design freedom of each zoom unit; optimizing each zoom unit by minimizing third-order aberrations and chromatic aberration thereby obtaining an optical design solution for a respective zoom unit; and using the optical design solutions thus obtained by said optimizing step as design start data to design the zoom optical system.

Claim 12

A product produced by the method of designing a zoom optical system which includes a plurality of zoom units wherein each zoom unit is formed of one optical element comprising the steps of: selecting for each zoom unit a first system from the group consisting of a spherical system and an aspherical system, selecting a second system from the group consisting of a gradient index system and a diffractive optical system, and selecting at least a third system from the group consisting of an aspherical system and a diffractive optical system, the first, second and at least third systems constituting a degree of design freedom of each zoom unit; optimizing each zoom unit by minimizing third-order aberrations and chromatic aberration thereby obtaining an optical design solution for a respective zoom unit; and using the optical design solutions thus obtained by said optimizing step as design start data to design the zoom optical system.

Claim 15

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first, second and third systems selected are a spherical system, a gradient index system and an aspherical system.

Claim 16

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first, second and third systems selected are a spherical system, a gradient index system and a diffractive optical system.

Claim 17

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first, second and third systems selected are a spherical system, a diffractive optical system and an aspherical system.

Claim 18

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said first, second and third systems selected are a spherical system, a diffractive optical system and a diffractive optical system.

Claim 19

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said gradient index system has radial gradient index distribution.

Claim 20

A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein third order aberrations are optimized by optimizing an intrinsic coefficient of each zoom unit at said optimization step.

Claim 21

A product produced by the method of designing a zoom optical system which includes a plurality of zoom units wherein each zoom unit is formed of one optical element, the method comprising the steps of: selecting for each zoom unit at least three systems including a first system and a second system selected from the group including a spherical system, a gradient index system, and a diffractive optical system, said first and second systems being different, and a third system that is a diffractive optical system or an aspherical system, the first, second and third systems constituting a degree of design freedom of each zoom unit; optimizing each zoom unit by minimizing third-order aberrations and chromatic aberration thereby obtaining an optical design solution for a respective zoom unit; and using the optical design solutions thus obtained by said optimizing step as design start data to design the zoom optical system.

Claim 22

A product produced by the method of designing a zoom optical system which includes a plurality of zoom units wherein each zoom unit is formed of one optical element, the method comprising the steps of: selecting for each zoom unit at least three systems including a first system and a second system selected from the group including a spherical system, a gradient index system, and a diffractive optical system, said first and second systems being different, and a third system that is a diffractive optical system or an aspherical system, the first, second and third systems constituting a degree of design freedom of each zoom unit; optimizing each zoom unit by minimizing third-order aberrations and chromatic aberration thereby obtaining an optical design solution for a respective zoom unit; and using the optical design solutions thus obtained by said optimizing step as design start data to design the zoom optical system.

Claim 23

A zoom optical system, comprising: a plurality of zoom units, wherein each zoom unit is formed of one optical element, wherein the zoom optical system is designed from design start data which was obtained by having optimized each zoom unit by minimizing third-order aberrations and chromatic aberration by selecting, for each zoom unit, at least three systems including a first system and a second system selected from the group including a spherical system, a gradient index system, and a diffractive optical system, said first and second systems being different, and a third system that is a diffractive optical system or an aspherical system, the first, second and third systems constituting a degree of design freedom of each zoom unit.

Claim 24

A zoom optical system, comprising: a plurality of zoom units, wherein each zoom unit is formed of one optical element, wherein the zoom optical system is designed from design start data which was obtained by having optimized each zoom unit by minimizing third-order aberrations and chromatic aberration by selecting, for each zoom unit, at least three systems including a first system and a second system selected from the group including a spherical system, a gradient index system, and a diffractive optical system, said first and second systems being different, and a third system that is a diffractive optical system or an aspherical system, the first, second and third systems constituting a degree of design freedom of each zoom unit.

Claim 25

A zoom optical system of claim 19 wherein said first, second and third systems include a spherical system, a gradient index system and an aspherical system.

Claim 26

A zoom optical system of claim 19 wherein said first, second and third systems include a spherical system, a gradient index system and a diffractive optical system.

Claim 27

A zoom optical system of claim 19 wherein said first, second and third systems include a spherical system, a diffractive optical system and an aspherical system.

Claim 28

A zoom optical system of claim 19 wherein said first, second and third systems include a spherical system, a first diffractive optical system and a second diffractive optical system.