Curved detectors for wide field imaging systems: impact on tolerance analysis

TL;DR

This paper analyzes how curved detectors in optical systems can improve image quality and relax manufacturing tolerances, demonstrated through two example designs, highlighting the trade-offs in detector shape and positioning.

Contribution

It provides a quantitative assessment of tolerance widening in optical systems with curved detectors, showing benefits in image quality and manufacturing flexibility.

Findings

Curved detectors increase image quality in optical systems.

Use of curved detectors relaxes manufacturing and assembly tolerances.

Design examples demonstrate significant tolerance improvements with curved detectors.

Abstract

In the present paper we consider quantitative estimation of the tolerances widening in optical systems with curved detectors. The gain in image quality allows to loosen the margins for manufacturing and assembling errors. On another hand, the requirements for the detector shape and positioning become more tight. We demonstrate both of the effects on example of two optical designs. The first one is a rotationally-symmetrical lens with focal length of 25 mm, f-ratio of 3.5 and field of view equal to 72$^\circ$, working in the visible domain. The second design is a three-mirror anastigmat telescope with focal length of 250 mm, f-ratio of 2.0 and field of view equal to $4^\circ \times 4^\circ$. In both of the cases use of curved detectors allow to increase the image quality and substantially decrease the requirements for manufacturing precision