Analytical calculation of spectral phase of grism pairs by the geometrical ray tracing method

Abstract

The most optimum operation of a grism pair is practically approachable when an analytical expression of its spectral phase is in hand. In this paper, we have employed the accurate geometrical ray tracing method to calculate the analytical phase shift of a grism pair, at transmission and reflection configurations. As shown by the results, for a great variety of complicated configurations, the spectral phase of a grism pair is in the same form of that of a prism pair. The only exception is when the light enters into and exits from different facets of a reflection grism. The analytical result has been used to calculate the second-order dispersions of several examples of grism pairs in various possible configurations. All results are in complete agreement with those from ray tracing method. The result of this work can be very helpful in the optimal design and application of grism pairs at various configurations.