Applications of the SMS method to the design of compact optics

Abstract

New ultra-thin optical designs are presented that comprise discontinuous optical sections (called channels) working in parallel (multichanneling) to provide the desired optical function. Aplanatic (a particular case of SMS-design) multichannel designs are also shown and used to explain more easily the design procedure. Typically, these multichannel devices are at least formed by three optical surfaces: one of them has discontinuities in the shape, a second one may have discontinuities in its derivative while the third one is smooth. The number of discontinuities is the same in the two first surfaces: Each channel is defined by the smooth surfaces in between the discontinuities, so that the surfaces forming each separate channel are all smooth. No diffractive effects are considered.