Abstract

The image formation through a Wollaston prism with large split angle is studied. Formulas for the split angle, approximate calculations of aberrations, and ray tracings are used. The most important aberrations found are astigmatism and anamorphic distortion. Tilting the Wollaston with respect to the incident beam may reduce these aberrations, and if the orientation of the optical axis in the first element is varied it is possible to cancel one of the two aberrations for both images simultaneously, while the other one is substantially reduced. With an adequate adjustment of all the construction parameters the images become sharp enough to allow the use of large split angles (∼15°).

© 1986 Optical Society of America

Analysis and design of modified Wollaston prisms

Carole C. Montarou and Thomas K. Gaylord
Appl. Opt. 38(31) 6604-6616 (1999)

Broadband Wollaston prism with a large output beam separation based on mercurous halides

Lukáš Krauz, Petr Páta, Jan Bednář, Miloš Klíma, and Petr Janout
Opt. Express 30(26) 47388-47403 (2022)

Optical Design of Wollaston-Prism Digital Light Deflectors

R. A. Soref and D. H. McMahon
Appl. Opt. 5(3) 425-434 (1966)

Differential schlieren-interferometry with a simple adjustable Wollaston-like prism

Matthew M. Biss, Gary S. Settles, Matthew E. Staymates, and Simon R. Sanderson
Appl. Opt. 47(3) 328-335 (2008)

Single Beam Schlieren Interferometer Using a Wollaston Prism

R. D. Small, V. A. Sernas, and R. H. Page
Appl. Opt. 11(4) 858-862 (1972)