Thick lenses systems

TL;DR

This paper applies optical matrix formalism to analyze thick lens systems, deriving key parameters and demonstrating that a Gaussian equation suffices to relate object and image distances in complex lens cascades.

Contribution

It extends the optical matrix formalism to multi-lens systems and simplifies the relation between object and image distances regardless of the number of lenses.

Findings

Derived parameters for thick spherical lenses in air.

Established that a single Gaussian equation relates object and image distances in multi-lens systems.

Validated the formalism for systems with multiple lenses.

Abstract

The optical matrix formalism is applied to find parameters such as focal distance, back and front focal points, principal planes, and the equation relating object and image distances for a thick spherical lens immerse in air. Then, the formalism is applied to systems compound of two, three and N thick lenses in cascade. It is found that a simple Gaussian equation is enough to relate object and image distances no matter the number of lenses.