Abstract

Suppose that the pupil function for a rotationally symmetric optical system is real valued and has a specified Rayleigh limit β. We find an upper bound for the central irradiance of the diffraction pattern formed by a point-source object on the axis of this optical system. This upper bound is strictly less than the least upper bound for the central irradiance if the pupil function is permitted to assume complex values, provided that β lies between 134% and 183% of the classical Rayleigh limit j₁₁ = 3.8317. This upper bound is the maximum central irradiance for real pupil functions when 1.34j₁₁ ≤ β ≤ 1.62j₁₁ but not otherwise.

© 1984 Optical Society of America

Apodization for maximum central irradiance and specified large Rayleigh limit of resolution

John N. Kibe and J. Ernest Wilkins
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 73(3) 387-391 (1983)

Apodization for maximum Strehl ratio and specified Rayleigh limit of resolution. II.

J. Ernest Wilkins
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69(11) 1526-1530 (1979)

Apodization for maximum Strehl ratio and specified Rayleigh limit of resolution*

J. Ernest Wilkins
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(8) 1027-1030 (1977)

Apodization for maximum Strehl criterion and specified Sparrow limit of resolution for coherent illumination

J. Ernest Wilkins
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 67(4) 553-557 (1977)

Apodization for maximum Strehl criterion and specified Sparrow limit of resolution for incoherent illumination

Patra W. Peng and J. Ernest Wilkins
J. Opt. Soc. Am. 65(11) 1292-1299 (1975)