Ray Tracing Through Non-Rotationally Symmetrical Systems With A Desktop Computer

R M Mackay; F J Busse lle

doi:10.1117/12.938405

Abstract

A general ray-trace program has been developed for use on a desktop computer which traces finite rays through any non-rotationally symmetrical system. In particular any combination of decentred, tilted and rotated surface has been considered. Surface types such as Conic sections with and without Aspherics, Toric surfaces, surfaces of S and T Cylindrical sections, and Axicons, may be ray-traced. Each surface is defined in terms of a local rectangular co-ordinate system and has a particular aperture shape attributed to it. Aperture shapes may be defined as circular, elliptical, rectangular or quadrilateral. Also the centre of any aperture shape may be displaced from its local coordinate origin to facilitate the tracing of off-axis paraboloids. Before transferring to the next surface, the local coordinates are referred back to an initial reference coordinate system. Finally a means of assessing aberrations has been included. The main task here was to get a mathematical model of a non-rotationally symmetrical finite ray-trace running on an inexpensive desk top computer. The program was written for the BBC MICRO in order to investigate devices such as scanning systems for modern Thermal Imagers etc.

Citation Download Citation

R M Mackay, R M Mackay, F J Busse lle, F J Busse lle, } "Ray Tracing Through Non-Rotationally Symmetrical Systems With A Desktop Computer", Proc. SPIE 0655, Optical System Design, Analysis, Production for Advanced Technology Systems, (31 October 1986); doi: 10.1117/12.938405; https://doi.org/10.1117/12.938405

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