US6842297B2 — Wavefront coding optics

Claim 1

Independent Claim 165 words

An improved Wavefront Coding system for imaging an object comprising: Wavefront Coding Optics having an aperture and including a central region, wherein the central region applies an essentially constant phase profile to light from the object passing through the central region, and a peripheral region disposed about the central region, wherein the peripheral region applies a phase profile to light from the object that has alternating increasing and decreasing phase relative to the central region, and wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics alters the optical transfer function of the Wavefront Coding system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than was the unaltered optical transfer function; a detector for capturing an image from the Wavefront Coding Optics; and a post processing element for processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration to the optical transfer function of the Wavefront Coding system accomplished by the Wavefront Coding Optics.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 165 words

An improved Wavefront Coding system for imaging an object comprising: Wavefront Coding Optics having an aperture and including a central region, wherein the central region applies an essentially constant phase profile to light from the object passing through the central region, and a peripheral region disposed about the central region, wherein the peripheral region applies a phase profile to light from the object that has alternating increasing and decreasing phase relative to the central region, and wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics alters the optical transfer function of the Wavefront Coding system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than was the unaltered optical transfer function; a detector for capturing an image from the Wavefront Coding Optics; and a post processing element for processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration to the optical transfer function of the Wavefront Coding system accomplished by the Wavefront Coding Optics.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 28 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the central region comprises a rectangular aperture, and the peripheral region forms a rectangular frame around the central region.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 27 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the central region comprises a circular aperture, and the peripheral region forms a ring around the central region.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 27 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the central region comprises a rectangular aperture, and the peripheral region forms a ring around the central region.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 18 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral region comprises more than one concentric zone.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 91 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics substantially follows the function: phase( x,y )=Σ[ U (| x|/A xi ) G xi ( x )+ U (| y|/A yi ) G yi ( y )] where | x |≦1 , |y |≦1 i=1, 2 , . . . , N and where U ( z )=1 if z ≧1 , U ( z )=0 otherwise 0 <A xi <1,0 <A yi <1 and where the sum is over the index i.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral region of the Wavefront Coding Optics applies substantially linear functions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 156 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 7 , wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics substantially follows the phase function: phase ⁡ ( x , y ) = ⁢ U ⁡ ( | x | / A x ) ⁢ s ⁢ ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ g ⁢ ⁢ n ⁡ ( x ) ⁢ ( | x | - A x ) / ⁢ ( 1 - A x ) + U ⁡ ( | y | / A y ) ⁢ s ⁢ ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ g ⁢ ⁢ n ⁡ ( y ) ⁢ ( | y | - A y ) / ( 1 - A y ) where | x |≦1 , |y |≦1 U ( z )=1 if z ≧1 , U ( z )=0 otherwise sign ( z )=+1 for z ≧0, sign( z )=−1 otherwise 0 21 A x <1, 0 <A y <1.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 216 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the Wavefront Coding Optics peripheral region applies substantially the sum of powers region phase function: phase ⁡ ( x , y ) = ⁢ Σ ⁢ ⁢ U ⁡ ( | x | / A x ⁢ ⁢ i ) ⁢ α i ⁢ ⁢ s ⁢ ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ g ⁢ ⁢ n ⁡ ( x ) [ ( | x | - A x ⁢ ⁢ i ) / ⁢ ( 1 - A x ⁢ ⁢ i ) ] β ⁢ ⁢ i + Σ ⁢ ⁢ U ⁡ ( | y | / A y ⁢ ⁢ i ) ⁢ χ i ⁢ ⁢ ⁢ s ⁢ ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ g ⁢ ⁢ n ⁡ ( y ) ⁡ [ ( | y | - A y ⁢ ⁢ i ) / ( 1 - A y ⁢ ⁢ i ) ] δ i where | x |≦1 , |y ≦1 , i =1, 2 , . . . , N U ( z )=1 if z ≧1 , U ( z )=0 otherwise, sign( z )=+1 for z ≧0, sign( z )=−1 otherwise, 0 <A xi <1, 0 <A yi <1, and where the summations are over the index i.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 167 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 9 , wherein the Wavefront Coding Optics peripheral region applies substantially the cubic function: phase ⁡ ( x , y ) = ⁢ U ⁡ ( | x | / A x ) ⁢ α i ⁢ ⁢ s ⁢ ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ g ⁢ ⁢ n ⁡ ( x ) [ ( | x | - A x ) / ⁢ ( 1 - A x ⁢ ) ] 3 + U ⁡ ( | y | / A y ⁢ ) ⁢ χ i ⁢ ⁢ ⁢ s ⁢ ⁢ i ⁢ ⁢ g ⁢ ⁢ n ⁡ ( y ) ⁡ [ ( | y | - A y ) / ( 1 - A y ) ] 3 where | x |≦1 , |y ≦1, U ( z )=1 if z ≧1 , U ( z )=0 otherwise, sign( z )=+1 for z ≧0, sign( z )=−1 otherwise, 0 <A xi <1, 0 <A yi <1.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 1 , wherein the Wavefront Coding Optics peripheral region applies substantially the function: phase (ρ,θ)=Σ Q (ρ/ Ω i ) G i (ρ,θ) where |ρ|≦1, 0≦θ≦2pi i=1, 2 , . . . N where Q ( z )=1 if z ≧1 , Q ( z )=0 otherwise 0< Ω i <1 and where the sum is over the index i.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 38 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 11 , wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics substantially follows the function: phase (ρ,θ)Σ Q (ρ/ Ω i ) α i ρ βi cos (w iθ−φ i ).

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 70 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 11 , wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics substantially follows the function: phase (ρ,θ)=σ Q (ρ/ Ω i )sign angle (M i θ−offset) Gρ i (ρ) where sign angle (φ)=+1 if 0<φ<pi, Sign angle (φ)=−1 otherwise; where the integer M controls the number of +/− sectors used around the peripheral region, and offset controls the rotation of the +/− sectors.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 13 , wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics substantially follows the function: phase (ρ,θ)=σ Q (ρ/ Ω i )α i sign angle (Mθ—offset) [(ρ− Ω i )/(1− Ω i )] βi .

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 36 words

The Wavefront Coding system of claim 13 , wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics substantially follows the function: phase (ρ,θ)= Q (ρ/ Ω )sign angle (Mθ—offset)[(ρ− Ω )/(1− Ω )] 3 .

Claim 17

Independent Claim 153 words

A method of designing improved Wavefront Coding systems comprising the steps of: designing Wavefront Coding Optics by selecting a central region of the Wavefront Coding Optics such that the central region applies an essentially constant phase profile to light passing through it; selecting a peripheral region of the Wavefront Coding Optics such that the peripheral region applies a phase profile to light passing through it that alternately increases in phase and decreases in phase relative to the central region; wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics alters the optical transfer function of the Wavefront Coding system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than was the unaltered optical transfer function; and selecting a post processing function for processing images from the Wavefront Coding Optics by reversing an alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the Wavefront Coding Optics.

Claim 18

Independent Claim 153 words

A method of designing improved Wavefront Coding systems comprising the steps of: designing Wavefront Coding Optics by selecting a central region of the Wavefront Coding Optics such that the central region applies an essentially constant phase profile to light passing through it; selecting a peripheral region of the Wavefront Coding Optics such that the peripheral region applies a phase profile to light passing through it that alternately increases in phase and decreases in phase relative to the central region; wherein the phase profile applied by the Wavefront Coding Optics alters the optical transfer function of the Wavefront Coding system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to focus related aberrations than was the unaltered optical transfer function; and selecting a post processing function for processing images from the Wavefront Coding Optics by reversing an alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the Wavefront Coding Optics.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 16 wherein the peripheral region applies substantially linear phase profiles.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 14 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the peripheral region applies substantially cubic phase profiles.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 166 words

A method for increasing depth of field and controlling focus related aberrations in an imaging system for imaging an object at a detector, the method comprising the steps of: between the object and the detector, modifying the wavefront of light from the object; the wavefront modifying step including the steps of applying an essentially constant phase profile to light passing through a central region and applying a peripheral profile that alternately increases in phase and decreases in phase relative to the central region to light passing through a peripheral region disposed about the central region; the applying steps operating to result in an overall applied phase profile that alters the optical transfer function of the imaging system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to misfocus related aberrations than was the unaltered optical transfer function; and post processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the wavefront modifying step.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 166 words

A method for increasing depth of field and controlling focus related aberrations in an imaging system for imaging an object at a detector, the method comprising the steps of: between the object and the detector, modifying the wavefront of light from the object; the wavefront modifying step including the steps of applying an essentially constant phase profile to light passing through a central region and applying a peripheral profile that alternately increases in phase and decreases in phase relative to the central region to light passing through a peripheral region disposed about the central region; the applying steps operating to result in an overall applied phase profile that alters the optical transfer function of the imaging system in such a way that the altered optical transfer function is substantially less sensitive to misfocus related aberrations than was the unaltered optical transfer function; and post processing the image captured by the detector by reversing the alteration of the optical transfer function accomplished by the wavefront modifying step.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of applying a peripheral profile applies substantially linear functions.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 18 words

The method of claim 19 , wherein the step of applying a peripheral profile applies substantially cubic functions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2008-01-11	2008-07-12	2009-01-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2012-01-11	2012-07-12	2013-01-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2016-01-11	2016-07-12	2017-01-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Wavefront coding optics

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