Abstract
A general theory of optically compensated varifocal systems is discussed in this paper. It is shown that n alternately stationary and relatively fixed (to each other) movable lens components can be arranged to produce an optical system which will have an over-all focal length variable continuously between any two predetermined values upon a displacement of the movable components from their reference position. While the movable interconnected system is being displaced from one extreme position to the other to change the over-all focal length the final image of the system will pass n times through the same position in space; the deviation of the image plane from a predetermined reference plane will be zero in n predetermined positions of the movable components and will not exceed a predetermined value at intermediate positions. The minimum number n of required components is determined by the desired operating range of focal lengths and the tolerable limit of the image plane deviation. The 2n − 2 Gaussian parameters of the n-lens system are then found from a system of 2n − 2 equations and inequalities.
© 1958 Optical Society of America
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