Field of View Based Optimization of Aspheric Designed Geometric-Phase Doublet Lenses

TL;DR

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of aspheric geometric-phase doublet lenses optimized for various wavelengths, demonstrating improved focusing performance over standard spherical lenses.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method for designing aspheric geometric-phase doublet lenses using Zemax and MATLAB, including fabrication with liquid crystal films and performance evaluation.

Findings

Optimized doublet lenses show improved spot performance.

Liquid crystal fabrication achieves high alignment quality.

Enhanced focusing capabilities compared to spherical lenses.

Abstract

Here we study aspheric phase pattern geometric-phase lenses through the design of doublet lenses in Zemax Optic Studio and in MATLAB using a simple ray tracing code. The solutions developed use variable spacer distances and are solved monochromatically (at 633 nm) and polychromatically (at 450, 532, and 633 nm). After selecting a Zemax generated polychromatically optimized doublet solution, we fabricated the lens utilizing liquid crystal films and direct writing. We characterized the liquid crystal alignment quality, efficiencies, and spot performance of this lens in comparison to a standard spherical singlet of the same back focal length and diameter (24.5 mm diameter and 40 mm back focal length at 633 nm). With this aspheric lens profile, we realize the development of novel focusing phase surfaces.