Analytic design method for optimal imaging: coupling three ray sets using two free-form lens profiles

Duerr, Fabian; Benı́tez, Pablo; Miñano, Juan C.; Meuret, Youri; Thienpont, Hugo

doi:10.1364/oe.20.005576

Cited by 68 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…An in detail discussion on their existence can be found in. 20 The implementation of convergence points was used for the first time to design free-form V-groove reflectors. 22,23 In our design approach, they are characterized by on-and off-axis rays sharing identical points and normal vectors on each lens surface.…”

Section: Summary Of the Analytic Free-form Lens Design Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Aperture stops in imaging systems often target the same objective. For optical systems designed for a wide field of view and with clearly separated optical surfaces, the new lens design method discussed in this paper will allow the perfect imaging of an additional on-axis (parallel to the optical axis) ray set to the correspondent image point both in two 20 and three dimensions.…”

Section: -18mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…20,21 The convergence point on the upper surface has the point coordinates (±x 0 , y 0 , z 0 ) with y 0 = 0 due to the overall lens' mirror symmetry with respect to the x-z-and y-zplane. Therefore, the normal vector at the first convergence point is completely described by the single variable m 0 .…”

Section: Figure 2 Introduction Of All Necessary Initial Values and Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analytic free-form lens design for imaging applications with high aspect ratio

et al. 2012

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A new three-dimensional analytic optics design method is presented that enables the coupling of three ray sets with only two free-form lens surfaces. Closely related to the Simultaneous Multiple Surface method in three dimensions (SMS3D), it is derived directly from Fermat's principle, leading to multiple sets of functional differential equations. The general solution of these equations makes it possible to calculate more than 80 coefficients for each implicit surface function. Ray tracing simulations of these free-form lenses demonstrate superior imaging performance for applications with high aspect ratio, compared to conventional rotational symmetric systems.

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Section: Summary Of the Analytic Free-form Lens Design Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: -18mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Figure 2 Introduction Of All Necessary Initial Values and Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analytic free-form lens design for imaging applications with high aspect ratio

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“…We have demonstrated with the new analytic design algorithm that it is possible to couple more than two ray sets with only two lens surfaces for such configurations. 10 This can only be achieved if different ray sets use different portions of the lens surfaces. The convergence points, which are characterized by on-and off-axis rays sharing identical points and normal vectors on each lens profile, are key in our design method: see Figure 4.…”

Section: Figure 2 (A) Schematic Assembly Of a Conventional Concentramentioning

confidence: 99%

Compact, high-efficiency sunlight harvesting

Duerr¹,

Gimenez²,

Dominguez³

et al. 2012

SPIE Newsroom

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A new free-form optics design method could unleash the full potential of tracking integrated solar concentratorsConcentrating photovoltaic (CPV) systems use optics to concentrate sunlight onto solar cells. By increasing the concentration of light that reaches the solar cell, CPV systems allow the area of the solar cell to be reduced. Solar cells are made of expensive semiconductor material, and CPV systems consist of inexpensive mirrors or lenses. Thus, a CPV module-consisting of the CPV system, and the cell-can be cheaper than the solar cell alone, but equally efficient. High-efficiency multi-junction solar cells can boost the conversion efficiency of CPV modules beyond 30%, but their expense means they require a high concentration of light (>400 ) to be economically viable. Achieving this level of concentration normally requires dual-axis tracking of the sun's diurnal and seasonal movements.Most CPV manufacturers work with very large modules and pedestal-mounted dual-axis trackers: see Figure 1. These systems are suitable for utility-scale power plants, but are less adequate for providing power to mid-scale or smaller operations. In contrast, photovoltaic (PV) modules with single-axis trackers are already in use on flat rooftops. Currently, CPV systems designed for single-axis trackers are limited to a concentration of about 300 for polar alignment, where the tracker axis equals the Earth's axis of rotation. 1 This concentration is not sufficient for economic use of multi-junction solar cells.Existing CPV system designs vary, but almost all treat the CPV modules and the external trackers separately: see Figure 2(a). In contrast, our approach integrates part of the external solar tracking functionality into the CPV module: 2 see Figure 2(b). The laterally-moving optics arrays are mounted on a polar-aligned single-axis tracker, and combine the concentration and steering of the incident sun light. Tracking integration can be used to reduce the external tracking effort in favor of compact installation size, [3][4][5] or to fine-tune the total tracking functionality, allowing coarse external solar tracking. 6 Figure 2. (a) Schematic assembly of a conventional concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) module for pedestal-mounted dual-axis trackers, and (b) our tracking integrated CPV module for polar-aligned single-axis trackers (b).While a benefit of dual-axis trackers over fixed installationswhich allow for the modules to always be pointed at the sun-is the increased yearly insolation, comparing the potential annual energy yield for polar-aligned single-axis trackers with dual axis trackers shows only moderate differences. 7 The tracking integration of our single-axis system covers an angular range of˙24• for incident direction vectors (pointing at the sun) within a single plane. If symmetry is considered, it is evident that rotational symmetric lenses are not an optimal solution. We developed a new design algorithm, 8 based on the simultaneous multiple Continued on next page

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“…For instance, this happens for the designs in ref [2] and [3]. For this reason we want to explore here imaging designs aiming to anastigmatic imaging (i.e.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%