Abstract

We present a derivation of an approach for calculating electromagnetic fields in optical systems with spherical surfaces. The derivation provides complete expressions for parabasal fields associated with optical rays. The expressions link electromagnetic-field polarization and wave-front-curvature information to the results of skew raytrace calculations. The result is an efficient and rigorous method for computing the irradiance of diffuse stray light fields. The field expressions are written in a format suitable for direct computer lens-design applications.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Polarization ray tracing in anisotropic optically active media. I. Algorithms

Stephen C. McClain, Lloyd W. Hillman, and Russell A. Chipman
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 10(11) 2371-2382 (1993)

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