Numerical methods to compute optical errors due to stress birefringence

Keith B. Doyle; Victor L. Genberg; Gregory J. Michels

doi:10.1117/12.481188

4 September 2002 Numerical methods to compute optical errors due to stress birefringence

Keith B. Doyle, Victor L. Genberg, Gregory J. Michels

Proceedings Volume 4769, Optical Design and Analysis Software II; (2002) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.481188
Event: International Symposium on Optical Science and Technology, 2002, Seattle, WA, United States

Abstract

A method to compute polarization changes and wavefront error due to mechanical stress in transmissive optical elements is presented. In general, stress produces an anisotropic and inhomogeneous optical medium where the magnitude and direction of the indices of refraction vary at every point. Jones calculus is used to incrementally evaluate the effects of stress for a grid of rays traced through a three-dimensional finite element stress field. For each ray, a system Jones matrix is computed representing the effective retarder properties of the stress path. The magnitude of birefringence, orientation, and ellipticity may then be derived for a grid of rays over the optical aperture. In addition, the stress-induced index changes generate wavefront error. Thus wavefront maps may be computed across the optical aperture. This method to compute the optical errors due to mechanical stress has been implemented in the optomechanical analysis software package SigFit. Birefringence and orientation data as computed by SigFit for arbitrary three-dimensional stress states may be output as CODE V stress birefringence interferogram files to evaluate the effects of stress on optical performance.

Citation Download Citation

Keith B. Doyle, Victor L. Genberg, and Gregory J. Michels "Numerical methods to compute optical errors due to stress birefringence", Proc. SPIE 4769, Optical Design and Analysis Software II, (4 September 2002); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.481188

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