NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PUBLICATIONS

Normalized Parameter Relating the Spherical Aberration of a Thin Lens to the Diffraction Limit and Fiber Coupling

Published

Author(s)

M. Young

Abstract

In this paper, we calculate the transverse spherical aberration TA of a thin lens and defines a normalized aberration Y equal to TA divided by the theoretical resolution limit. As a rule of thumb, (a) a thin lens that suffers only from spherical aberration may be considered effectively diffraction-limited as long as Y<1.6. Similarly, (b) the coupling efficiency of a Gaussian beam to a single-mode fiber may be high even when Y < 1.6, and, specifically, (c) the lens need by diffraction-limited only over a radius approximately equal to the radius (to the 1/e-point) of the Gaussian beam.
Citation
Optics & Photonics News
Volume
11
Issue
5
Pub Type
Journals

Keywords

aberration, theoretical limit of resolution

Citation

Young, M. (2000), Normalized Parameter Relating the Spherical Aberration of a Thin Lens to the Diffraction Limit and Fiber Coupling, Optics & Photonics News (Accessed October 15, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created April 30, 2000, Updated October 12, 2021
Was this page helpful?