Bessel beam alignment of a single, partially constrained lens element
ABSTRACT In many lens assemblies, mounting constraints prevent independent adjustment of tilt and decenter making perfect alignment of individual elements impossible. This work models a plano-convex lens to compare several centering methods under partial constraint, including mechanical edge runout, image runout, center of curvature centration, and transmitted Bessel beam deviation. Although based on a single […]
The Point Source Microscope, a unique autocollimator
ABSTRACT The Point Source Microscope (PSM) utilizes infinite conjugate optics internally. When the microscope objective is removed, the PSM is an autocollimator. Unlike conventional autocollimators, which use a reticle pattern for illumination, the PSM employs a single-mode fiber. The PSM camera captures a well-focused, circular return reflection when a perfect plane mirror is aligned perpendicular […]
ROI Analysis: When to Invest in a Point Source Microscope for Your Lab
Capital equipment decisions demand rigorous financial justification. When precision optical alignment challenges consume your lab’s time and budget, determining whether a Point Source Microscope delivers adequate return on investment requires examining multiple cost factors, time savings, and performance improvements. At $23,950 for a complete system including Python-based PSM Align software, the Point Source Microscope represents […]
Simulation for Design For Manufacture (DFM) and tolerancing of realistic optical surface scatter for Mid-spatial Frequencies (MSF) and beyond
Simon P. Tsaoussisa, W. Andrew Chenga, Ronnie Appelsb, and Robert E. Parksc aKostaCLOUD Inc., 5795 Commerce Lane, South Miami, FL 33143, USA bTucson Optical Research Corp., 210 S Plumer Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA cOptical Perspectives Group LLC, 7011 E Calle Tolosa, Tucson, AZ 85750, USA ABSTRACT We propose a realistic model for tolerancing ofscattered surface […]
Ritchey-Common Test & Similar Methods Using AI Image Space Phase Retrieval
In this document, we will describe a general approach/method to measure optical surfaces in reflection and/or transmission when the incoming beam is not a simple plane wave. Among such tests are the Hindle test for measuring convex surfaces and the Ritchey-Common (RC) test for flat, concave, or convex surfaces. We will explain the concept using […]
Systematic Method of Optical Alignment Using Aberrations
We use a known optic, a catalog off-axis parabola, as a reference to both model in Zemax and to align while tracking the position of the focus in 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) and the tilt of the auto-reflecting flat in 2 DOF to demonstrate a systematic approach to alignment. The aberrations present at each step of the experimental procedure are monitored using an autostigmatic microscope.