E3877 Optics Formulas

LENS SELECTION GUIDE
TECHNICAL REFERENCE AND

FUNDAMENTAL APPLICATIONS
494
Optics
Optics Formulas
Light Right-Hand Rule
Light is a transverse electromagnetic
wave. The electric E and magnetic M
fields are perpendicular to each other
and to the propagation vector k, as
shown below.
Light Intensity
Energy Conversions
The light intensity, I is measured in

Watts/m2, E in Volts/m, and H in
Amperes/m. The equations relating I to E
and H are quite analogous to OHMS LAW.
For peak values these equations are:
Power density is given by Poyntings

vector, P, the vector product of E and H.
You can easily remember the directions if
you curl E into H with the fingers of the
right hand: your thumb points in the
direction of propagation.
Wavelength Conversions
SPHERICAL LENSES
1 nm
Snells Law
The quantity 0 is the wave impedance of
vacuum, and is the wave impedance of
a medium with refractive index n.
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
KITS
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
Wave Quantity Relationship
k: wave vector [radians/m]

: frequency [Hertz]
: angular frequency [radians/sec]
: wavelength [m]
0: wavelength in vacuum [m]
MIRRORS
= 10 Angstroms()
= 109m = 107cm = 103m
n: refractive index
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Snells Law describes how a light ray

behaves when it passes from a medium
with index of refraction n1, to a medium
with a different index of refraction, n2. In
general, the light will enter the interface
between the two medii at an angle. This
angle is called the angle of incidence. It is
the angle measured between the normal
to the surface (interface) and the
incoming light beam (see figure). In the
case that n1 is smaller than n2, the light is
bent towards the normal. If n1 is greater
than n2, the light is bent away from the
normal (see figure below). Snells Law is
expressed as n1sin1 = n2sin2.
Optics
495
Beam Deviation
For plane-polarized light the E and H

fields remain in perpendicular planes
parallel to the propagation vector k, as
shown below.
A flat piece of glass can be used to

displace a light ray laterally without
changing its direction. The displacement
varies with the angle of incidence; it is
zero at normal incidence and equals the
thickness h of the flat at grazing
incidence.
Both displacement and deviation occur if

the media on the two sides of the tilted
flat are different for example, a tilted
window in a fish tank. The displacement
is the same, but the angular deviation is
given by the formula. Note: is
independent of the index of the flat; it is
the same as if a single boundary existed
between media 1 and 3.
(Grazing incidence: light incident at

almost or close to 90 to the normal of
the surface).
Example: The refractive index of air at STP

is about 1.0003. The deviation of a light
ray passing through a glass Brewsters
angle window on a HeNe laser is then:
Beam Displacement

Plane-Polarized Light
= (n3 - n1) tan
= (0.0003) x 1.5 = 0.45 mrad
Both E and H oscillate in time and space

as:
At 10,000 ft. altitude, air pressure is 2/3

that at sea level; the deviation is 0.30
mrad. This change may misalign the laser
if its two windows are symmetrical rather
than parallel.
sin (t-kx)
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
The relationship between the tilt angle of

the flat and the two different refractive
indices is shown in the graph below.
SPHERICAL LENSES
At Brewsters angle, tan = n2
KITS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
MIRRORS
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Optics
Angular Deviation of a Prism

Angular deviation of a prism depends on
the prism angle , the refractive index, n,
and the angle of incidence i. Minimum
deviation occurs when the ray within the
prism is normal to the bisector of the
prism angle. For small prism angles
(optical wedges), the deviation is
constant over a fairly wide range of
angles around normal incidence. For
such wedges the deviation is:
(n - 1)
optical path. Although effects are minimal

in laser applications, focus shift and
chromatic effects in divergent beams
should be considered.
two sides of the boundary.

The intensities (watts/area) must also be
corrected by this geometric obliquity
factor:
Fresnel Equations:
It = T x Ii(cosi/cost)
i - incident medium
Conservation of Energy:
t - transmitted medium
R+T=1
use Snells law to find t
Normal Incidence:
This relation holds for p and s components

individually and for total power.
r = (ni-nt)/(ni + nt)
Polarization
t = 2ni/(ni + nt)
Only s-polarized light reflected.
To simplify reflection and transmission

calculations, the incident electric field is
broken into two plane-polarized
components. The wheel in the pictures
below denotes plane of incidence. The
normal to the surface and all propagation
vectors (ki, kr, kt) lie in this plane.
Total Internal Reflection

(TIR):
E parallel to the plane of incidence; ppolarized.
Brewster's Angle:
SPHERICAL LENSES

496
= arctan (nt/ni)
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
TIR > arcsin (nt/ni)

nt < ni is required for TIR
Field Reflection and

Transmission Coefficients:
The field reflection and transmission
coefficients are given by:
r = Er/Ei
t = Et/Ei
KITS
Non-Normal Incidence:
rs = (nicosi -ntcost)/(nicosi + ntcost)
Prism Total Internal

Reflection (TIR)
rp = (ntcos i -nicost)/ntcosi + nicost)
MIRRORS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
ts = 2nicosi/(nicosi + ntcost)
TIR depends on a clean glass-air
interface. Reflective surfaces must be free
of foreign materials. TIR may also be
defeated by decreasing the incidence
angle beyond a critical value. For a right
angle prism of index n, rays should enter
the prism face at an angle :
tp = 2nicosi/(ntcosi + nicost)
Power Reflection:
The power reflection and transmission
coefficients are denoted by capital letters:
< arcsin (((n2-1)1/2-1)/2)
R = r2 T = t2(ntcost)/(nicosi)
In the visible range, = 5.8 for BK 7

(n = 1.517) and 2.6 for fused silica
(n = 1.46). Finally, prisms increase the
The refractive indices account for the

different light velocities in the two media;
the cosine ratio corrects for the different
cross sectional areas of the beams on the
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E normal to the plane of incidence;

s-polarized.
Optics
Magnification:
Power reflection coefficients Rs and Rp

are plotted linearly and logarithmically
for light traveling from air (ni = 1) into BK
7 glass (nt = 1.51673).
Brewsters angle = 56.60.
Transverse:
If a lens can be characterized by a single

plane then the lens is thin. Various
relations hold among the quantities
shown in the figure.
MT < 0, image inverted

Longitudinal:

Power Reflection Coefficients Thin Lens Equations
497
Gaussian:
Sign Conventions for Images

and Lenses
Thick Lenses
Quantity
virtual
real
real
virtual
convex lens
concave lens
Lens Types for Minimum

Aberration
| s2/s1 |
Best lens
<0.2
plano-convex/concave
>5
plano-convex/concave
>0.2 or <5
bi-convex/concave
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
s1
s2
A thick lens cannot be characterized by a

single focal length measured from a
single plane. A single focal length F may
be retained if it is measured from two
planes, H1, H2, at distances P1, P2 from
the vertices of the lens, V1, V2. The two
back focal lengths, BFL1 and BFL2, are
measured from the vertices. The thin lens
equations may be used, provided all
quantities are measured from the
principal planes.
SPHERICAL LENSES
ML <0, no front to back inversion
The corresponding reflection coefficients

are shown below for light traveling from
BK 7 glass into air Brewsters angle =
33.40. Critical angle (TIR angle) = 41.25.
Newtonian: x1x2 = -F2
KITS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
MIRRORS
Optics
Lens Nomogram:
The Lensmakers Equation
Numerical Aperture
Convex surfaces facing left have positive

radii. Below, R1>0, R2<0. Principal plane
offsets, P, are positive to the right. As
illustrated, P1>0, P2<0. The thin lens
focal length is given when Tc = 0.
MAX is the full angle of the cone of light

rays that can pass through the system
(below).
Constants and Prefixes

Speed of light in vacuum
c = 2.998108 m/s
Plancks const.
h = 6.625 x 10-34Js
Boltzmanns const.
k = 1.308 x 10-23 J/K
Stefan-Boltzmann
= 5.67 x 10-8 W/m2 K4
1 electron volt
eV = 1.602 x 10-19 J
exa (E)
1018
peta (P)
1015
tera (T)
1012
KITS
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
SPHERICAL LENSES

498
For small :
MIRRORS
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
Both f-number and NA refer to the system

and not the exit lens.
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giga (G)
109
mega (M)
106
kilo (k)
103
milli (m)
10-3
micro ()
10-6
nano (n)
10-9
pico (p)
10-12
femto (f)
10-15
atto (a)
10-18
Wavelengths of Common
Lasers
Source
(nm)
ArF
193
KrF
248
Nd:YAG(4)
266
XeCl
308
HeCd
325, 441.6
N2
337.1, 427
XeF
351
Nd:YAG(3)
354.7
Ar
488, 514.5, 351.1, 363.8
Cu
510.6, 578.2
Nd:YAG(2)
532
HeNe
632.8, 543.5, 594.1, 611.9, 1153, 1523
Kr
647.1, 676.4
Ruby
694.3
Nd:Glass
1060
Nd:YAG
1064, 1319
Ho:YAG
2100
Er:YAG
2940
Optics
Focusing a Collimated
Gaussian Beam
Depth of Focus (DOF)
The Gaussian intensity distribution:
In the figure below the 1/e radius, (x),

and the wavefront curvature, R(x), change
with x through a beam waist at x = 0. The
governing equations are:
DOF = (8/)(f/#)2
2
I(r) = I(0) exp(-2r2/02)

is shown below.
New Waist Diameter
2(x) = 20 1 + x /20
2
2
R(x) = x 1 + 0 / x
Beam Spread
20 is the waist diameter at the 1/e2

intensity points. The wavefronts are
planar at the waist [R(0) = ].
At the waist, the distance from the lens
will be approximately the focal length:
s2F.
D = collimated beam diameter or
diameter illuminated on lens.
The total beam power, P() [watts], and
the on-axis intensity I(0) [watts/area] are
related by:
KITS
The figure below compares the far-field

intensity distributions of a uniformly
illuminated slit, a circular hole, and
Gaussian distributions with 1/e2
diameters of D and 0.66D (99% of a 0.66D
Gaussian will pass through an aperture of
diameter D). The point of observation is Y
off axis at a distance X>Y from the source.
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
Diffraction
SPHERICAL LENSES
The right hand ordinate gives the fraction

of the total power encircled at radius r:
Only if DOF <F, then:

Gaussian Intensity
Distribution
499
OPTICAL SYSTEMS
MIRRORS

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E3877 Optics Formulas

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How does light propagate?

How does light propagate?

What is Snell's law and what does it describe?

What is Snell's law and what does it describe?

LENS SELECTION GUIDE

TECHNICAL REFERENCE AND

The light intensity, I is measured in

Power density is given by Poyntings

Wave Quantity Relationship

k: wave vector [radians/m]

Snells Law describes how a light ray

For plane-polarized light the E and H

A flat piece of glass can be used to

Both displacement and deviation occur if

(Grazing incidence: light incident at

Example: The refractive index of air at STP

LENS SELECTION GUIDE

TECHNICAL REFERENCE AND

= (n3 - n1) tan

= (0.0003) x 1.5 = 0.45 mrad

Both E and H oscillate in time and space

At 10,000 ft. altitude, air pressure is 2/3

The relationship between the tilt angle of

At Brewsters angle, tan = n2

Email: sales@newport.com Web: newport.com

Angular Deviation of a Prism

optical path. Although effects are minimal

two sides of the boundary.

This relation holds for p and s components

Only s-polarized light reflected.

To simplify reflection and transmission

Total Internal Reflection

E parallel to the plane of incidence; ppolarized.

LENS SELECTION GUIDE

TECHNICAL REFERENCE AND

TIR > arcsin (nt/ni)

Field Reflection and

Prism Total Internal

rp = (ntcos i -nicost)/ntcosi + nicost)

< arcsin (((n2-1)1/2-1)/2)

In the visible range, = 5.8 for BK 7

The refractive indices account for the

E normal to the plane of incidence;

Power reflection coefficients Rs and Rp

If a lens can be characterized by a single

MT < 0, image inverted

TECHNICAL REFERENCE AND

Power Reflection Coefficients Thin Lens Equations

Sign Conventions for Images

Lens Types for Minimum

A thick lens cannot be characterized by a

ML <0, no front to back inversion

LENS SELECTION GUIDE

The corresponding reflection coefficients

Newtonian: x1x2 = -F2

Email: sales@newport.com Web: newport.com

The Lensmakers Equation

Convex surfaces facing left have positive