Analysis of Imaging Characteristics of Wide-field Lobster Eye Lens

Abstract

The lobster-eye lens is a reflected type focusing optics. It can be used for backscattering imaging that is a single-sided access technology for homeland security, detection of improvised explosive devices, non-destructive testing, and medical imaging. The aim of this study was to investigate the imaging characteristic of meridional lobster-eye lens with a planar imaging surface. The larger the field of view, the greater the spherical aberration, and the larger the field curvature of the edge field of view. Both spherical aberration and field curvature increase the size of the focal spot, and the images become blurry. Rays with a large angle of grazing incidence have large spherical aberration and curvature. The reflectivity of these rays drops sharply as the energy of photons increases. Therefore, spherical aberration and field curvature have a greater effect on photons with low energy. These conclusions can help improve the design of a lobster-eye lens for wide-field imaging applications.