Freeform Optics

4.0 credits

In the same way that the ability to generate and manipulate electrons leads to electronic devices, the ability to generate and manipulate photons leads to optics & photonics devices – the technology of the 21st century. Freeform optics is an emerging optics & photonics technology. The course will first reveal the history of freeform optics. We will next mathematically define freeform optics. Then, building on prior knowledge of optical aberration theory for rotationally symmetric systems, we will introduce Nodal Aberration Theory (NAT) – the aberration theory of asymmetric systems, where originally, asymmetry due to misalignment was considered, but in this course, we will look at asymmetry due to freeform surfaces. With this foundation on the aberration theory of freeform systems, learning about freeform optics includes learning about designing freeform optical systems with the intention to successfully build them, fabricating them, testing them, and completing the full assembly and system-level test The goal of this class is for students to learn how to design freeform optical systems that can be built.