The use of normalization in the application of simple optical systems

Abstract

In choosing a configuration for an optical image-forming system, one is usually given several prescribed parameters, such as focal length, field, aperture, or magnification, and the required performance. The required performance is usually specified as some tolerance on a quality factor which ultimately depends on the aberrations of the system. In this paper we deal only with simple systems where the performance is limited by third-order aberrations, although the approach outlined is not restricted to such systems.