Refraction: Points and
Planes
Basic Optics, Chapter 18
2
Points and Planes
As we learned in Chapter 4, every lens has two
focal points:
the primary focal point
the secondary focal point
3
Points and Planes
As we learned in Chapter 4, every lens has two
focal points:
the primary focal point Object
the secondary focal point
Primary focal point
And as wefocal
Primary shall seeLocation
point: shortly,
at these points are
simply
whichspecial locations
an object on two important planes:
could be placed, Object
andprimary
the light rays associated
focal plane with the
object
the would exit
secondary the plane
focal lens with zero
vergence (i.e., parallel)
But first we will meet several other important
members of the light-ray model family:
the nodal point(s)
the lens axis
4
Points and Planes
As we learned in Chapter 4, every lens has two
focal points:
the primary focal point Object
the secondary focal point
Primary focal point
And as wefocal
Primary shall seeLocation
point: shortly,
at these points are
simply
whichspecial locations
an object on two important planes:
could be placed, Object
andprimary
the light rays associated
focal plane with the
object
the would exit
secondary the plane
focal lens with zero
vergence (i.e., parallel)
But first we will meet several other important
Secondary focal point: Location at Image
members
which theofimage
the light-ray model family:
is formed when
lightnodal
the rays with zero vergence (i.e.,
point(s) Secondary focal point
parallel)
the lens axisencounter a given lens
Image
5
Points and Planes
As we learned in Chapter 4, every lens has two
focal points:
the primary focal point
the secondary focal point
And as we shall see shortly, these points are
simply special locations on two important planes:
the primary focal plane
the secondary focal plane
But first we will meet several other important
members of the light-ray model family:
the nodal point(s)
the lens axis
6
Points and Planes
As we learned in Chapter 4, every lens has two
focal points:
the primary focal point
the secondary focal point
And as we shall see shortly, these points are
simply special locations on two important planes:
the primary focal plane
the secondary focal plane
But first we will meet several other important
members of the light-ray model family:
the nodal point(s)
We’ll address the reason for this waffling shortly
the lens axis
7
Points and Planes
As we learned in Chapter 4, every lens has two
focal points:
the primary focal point
the secondary focal point
And as we shall see shortly, these points are
simply special locations on two important planes:
The primary focal points, nodal points, and two others called the principal
the
points primary
(which, focal
you will plane
be happy to learn, we won’t get into) comprise what are
the
known secondary
as the focal for
cardinal points planea lens system. Taken together, the cardinal
points
But capture and describe the critical optical properties of any lens system.
first
(And that’s all Iwe
thinkwill
you meet
need to several
know aboutother
cardinalimportant
points per se.)
members of the light-ray model family:
the nodal point(s)
We’ll address the reason for this waffling shortly
the lens axis
8
Points and Planes
Note: The term thin here means infinitely thin. Obviously, real lenses
are not infinitely thin! A thin lens is a theoretical construct we employ
because it simplifies the optics and thereby facilitates understanding.
Thin plus lens
F1 F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
9
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
Nodal point (N): Location through which any ray, from any angle, will pass undeviated
10
Points and Planes
If a ray passes through the nodal point, it will not be refracted--
that is, it will exit the lens with the same angle at which it entered
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
Nodal point (N): Location through which any ray, from any angle, will pass undeviated
11
Points and Planes
As an important aside…
Thick plus lens
q N
F1 N ??? F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
In a thick (i.e., real) lens, there are two nodal points. However…the same
rule applies—a ray entering one nodal point will appear to ‘jump’ to the other
and exit at the same angle (i.e., undeviated)
12
Points and Planes
As an important aside…
Thick plus lens
q N
F1 N q F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
In a thick (i.e., real) lens, there are two nodal points. However…the same
rule applies—a ray entering one nodal point will appear to ‘jump’ to the other
and exit at the same angle (i.e., undeviated)
13
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
N
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
(Technically speaking, a thin lens has two nodal points as well—it’s just
that they are both located at the same point in optical space.)
14
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
Lens axis: The ray that passes through both focal points and the nodal point
15
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
Note that the lens axis is simply
the ray that passes undeviated
from the primary focal point
through the nodal point
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
Lens axis: The ray that passes through both focal points and the nodal point
16
Points and Planes
The term optical axis is more general, and can be applied to eyes as well as lenses.
(Recall from Chapter 4 that eyes have focal points; trust me that eyes also have nodal
points.)
Bonus question: As shown, is this an emmetropic, hyperopic or myopic eye?
Hyperopic. (The tipoff: The secondary focal lens
Thin plus point is behind the eye.)
Optical
Lens axis: Passes through both
focal points and the nodal point
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
17
Points and Planes
The term optical axis is more general, and can be applied to eyes as well as lenses.
(Recall from Chapter 4 that eyes have focal points; trust me that eyes also have nodal
points.)
Bonus question: As shown, is this an emmetropic, hyperopic or myopic eye?
Hyperopic. (The tipoff: The secondary focal lens
Thin plus point is behind the eye.)
Optical
Lens axis: Passes through both
focal points and the nodal point
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
18
Points and Planes
The term optical axis is more general, and can be applied to eyes as well as lenses.
(Recall from Chapter 4 that eyes have focal points; trust me that eyes also have nodal
points.)
Bonus question: As shown, is this an emmetropic, hyperopic or myopic eye?
Hyperopic. (The tipoff: The secondary focal lens
Thin plus point is behind the eye.)
Optical
Lens axis: Passes through both
focal points and the nodal point
F1 N F2
Primary focal point Secondary focal point
Hyperopic error lens (review Chapter 8 if this doesn’t ring a bell)
19
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Primary focal point: The location from which rays hitting a lens will leave that lens
with zero vergence (i.e., parallel to lens axis). You know this from Chapter 4.
20
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Primary focal plane: Rays emanating from any point on this plane will exit
the lens parallel to one another (but not necessarily parallel to the lens axis)
21
Points and Planes
Consider this point on the primary focal plane. Rays passing through the lens from here will
exit the lens parallel to one another. But how can we know which direction that will be?
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Primary focal plane: Rays emanating from any point on this plane will exit
the lens parallel to one another (but not necessarily parallel to the lens axis)
22
Points and Planes
Consider this point on the primary focal plane. Rays passing through the lens from here will
exit the lens parallel to one another. But how can we know which direction that will be?
Thin plus lens
We know the ray passing through
the nodal point will not be deviated…
F1 N F2
Primary focal plane: Rays emanating from any point on this plane will exit
the lens parallel to one another (but not necessarily parallel to the lens axis)
23
Points and Planes
Consider this point on the primary focal plane. Rays passing through the lens from here will
exit the lens parallel to one another. But how can we know which direction that will be?
Thin plus lens
We know the ray passing through
the nodal point will not be deviated…
Therefore, the remaining rays must
be parallel to this nodal ray
F1 N F2
Primary focal plane: Rays emanating from any point on this plane will exit
the lens parallel to one another (but not necessarily parallel to the lens axis)
24
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Here again is the slide depicting the primary focal point within the context of the
primary focal plane. You can now see that the nodal ray of the primary focal point
is the lens (optical) axis.
25
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Secondary focal point: The location where rays parallel to the axis ray (ie, traveling
with zero vergence) will be focused. (Also from Chapter 4.)
26
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Secondary focal plane: The ‘home location’ of all
images formed by parallel rays hitting the lens
27
Points and Planes
Consider this point on the secondary focal plane.
From what direction will its formative rays arrive?
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Secondary focal plane: The ‘home location’ of all
images formed by parallel rays hitting the lens
28
Points and Planes
Consider this point on the secondary focal plane.
From what direction will its formative rays arrive?
Thin plus lens
Once again we can use
the nodal ray…
F1 N F2
Secondary focal plane: The ‘home location’ of all
images formed by parallel rays hitting the lens
29
Points and Planes
Consider this point on the secondary focal plane.
From what direction will its formative rays arrive?
Thin plus lens
Once again we can use
the nodal ray…And we
know the remaining rays
must be parallel to it
F1 N F2
Secondary focal plane: The ‘home location’ of all
images formed by parallel rays hitting the lens
30
Points and Planes
Thin plus lens
F1 N F2
Here again is the slide depicting the secondary focal point within the context of the
secondary focal plane. You can now see that the nodal ray of the secondary focal
point is the lens (optical) axis.
31
Points and Planes
Thin minus lens
F2 N F1
Here is a thin minus lens. Recall that the locations of the primary and
secondary focal points are reversed as compared with a plus lens.
32
Points and Planes
Thin minus lens
Secondary focal plane Primary focal plane
F2 N F1
Here is a thin minus lens. Recall that the locations of the primary and
secondary focal points are reversed as compared with a plus lens.
Naturally, the same must be true of the primary and secondary focal planes.
33
Points and Planes
Thin minus lens
F2 N F1
Rays associated with the primary focal point exit the lens
parallel to the lens axis…
34
Points and Planes
Thin minus lens
F2 N F1
…and rays associated with the secondary focal point are those that
enter the lens with zero vergence (i.e., parallel to the lens axis).
35
Points and Planes
Thin minus lens
F2 N F1
Primary focal plane
Primary focal plane: Rays associated with a point on this plane exit the
lens parallel to one another (but not necessarily parallel to the lens axis)
36
Points and Planes
Thin minus lens
F2 N F1
Secondary focal plane
Secondary focal plane: The ‘home location’ of all
images formed by parallel rays hitting the lens
