Compensating Optical Systems Part 3: Achromatic Fourier Transformation

Abstract

This paper shows the requirements for the achromatization of an irradiance distribution which is a function of a space coordinate multiplied by wavelength raised to a power. The particular requirements for achromatic Fourier transformation are then presented. The theory is applied to the following problems: achromatization of Newton’s ring patterns and Fraunhofer diffraction patterns and frequency plane filtering of an object illuminated with a broadband light source. Experimental systems that perform these functions are presented.