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Producing the perfect color images we need and love often requires multiple, heavy lenses so that each color focuses in exactly the same plane. Now Penn State engineers have developed a new theory that solves the problem using a single thin lens composed of gradient index materials and metasurface layers to properly direct the light.
"If we want high performance optical systems, then we have to overcome material dispersion," said Sawyer D. Campbell, assistant research professor in electrical engineering. "If we don't, we get smeary colors, which significantly degrades image quality."
Single apochromatic lenses -- ones that properly focus the three colors red, blue and green -- that have less curvature and are thinner and lighter could improve cell phone cameras and allow manufacture of thinner cell phones. They also could make lighter, better body cameras, helmet cameras, sniper scopes, thermal imaging devices and unmanned aerial vehicles or drones. In essence, anything that uses lenses to image could be made simpler and lighter.
J. Nagar, S. D. Campbell, D. H. Werner. Apochromatic singlets enabled by metasurface-augmented GRIN lenses. Optica, 2018; 5 (2): 99 DOI: 10.1364/OPTICA.5.000099
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday February 13 2018, @05:43AM
> plastic lenses which require extraordinary care during even ordinary cleaning to avoid quickly scratching
Wash any plastic optical surface under running water, with a little liquid soap. This carries any grit away before it has a chance to damage the soft surface. Never touch the lens with anything unless it's under running water (or a clean soft towel for pat-drying after washing). I was taught this years ago by a clever old timer who was washing off plexiglass skylights--with a hose pointed where he was rubbing on the surface.
I never use any kind of "lens cloth". My plastic lens glasses don't get scratched/cloudy.