July 10, 2010 / Vol. 8, No. 7 / CHINESE OPTICS LETTERS 647
Simple equivalent systems for GRIN lenses in
inhomogeneous medium
Xiang Shou (ÆÆÆ )
Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84118, USA
E-mail: shou@eng.utah.edu
Received February 25, 2010
Simple single-lens equivalent systems for graded-index (GRIN) lenses in inhomogeneous medium obtained
using matrix optics are prop osed in this letter. Due to its simplicity, the equivalent optical system enables
quick analysis of the imaging properties of GRIN lens rod immersed in inhomogeneous medium. This
facilitates the optical analysis of complicated optoelectronics systems in inhomogeneous medium utilizing
GRIN lens rods.
OCIS co des: 070.2590, 080.2468, 080.2730, 110.2760.
doi: 10.3788/COL20100807.0647.
Graded-index (GRIN) lens is a special class of opti-
cal lens in which the refractive index gradually varies
along the radial axis
[1−4]
. Variations in the refractive
index cause bending of light rays from an object, form-
ing images like an ordinary glass lens. However, un-
like spherical lens
[5]
, GRIN lens features a planar end
surface apart from complex curvature surface. This is
one of its major advantages over conventional lenses.
Other advantages, including small size and uncompli-
cated fabrication method, have led to the interest in
GRIN lens as a micro-optics component to integrate op-
toelectronic systems. Consequently, GRIN lens has been
extensively utilized in many applications, such as fiber
coupling
[6]
, laser diode beam shaping
[7]
, medical endo-
scope application
[8]
, and optical coherent tomography
[9]
.
GRIN lens has been studied by employing the effective
method of ray tracing
[10]
, but this does not facilitate
the development of a simple equivalent optical system.
A simple optical system equivalent to GRIN lens allows
for a quick analysis of its optical properties. In this let-
ter, we use the matrix optics method to obtain a simple
single-lens equivalent system for GRIN lens immersed in
inhomogeneous medium. Based on this, imaging proper-
ties are thoroughly investigated.
When γ and −γ type matrices (Eqs. (1) and (2)) are
present in front of the matrix denoting optical distance,
either the γ or −γ type matrix quasi-commutes with
optical distance and acts directly on the ray vector of
the object.
·
1 0
0 γ
¸·
1 L
1
0 1
¸·
y
0
θ
0
¸
=
·
1 L
1
/γ
0 1
¸·
y
0
γθ
0
¸
, (1)
·
−1 0
0 −γ
¸·
1 L
1
0 1
¸·
y
0
θ
0
¸
=
·
1 L
1
/γ
0 1
¸·
−y
0
−γθ
0
¸
, (2)
where y
0
is the height of the object, Q
0
is the angle
between the incident ray and the optical axis, L
1
stands
for the distance between object and the lens, and γ is an
arbitrary positive number.
Even if these result in the alteration of (1) incident an-
gle of the ray from objects, (2) optical distance between
the object and the imaging system, and (3) the reversion
of the object for −γ type matrix, they do not affect the
imaging properties of the first-order optical system (Fig.
1).
For paraxial approximation, we use the transfer matrix
of GRIN lens immersed in inhomogeneous medium,
·
1 0
0
n
.0
n
2
¸·
cos(αd)
sin(αd)
α
−α sin(αd) cos(αd )
¸·
1 0
0
n
.1
n
0
¸
=
"
cos(αd)
n
1
sin(αd)
n
0
α
−n
0
α sin(αd)
n
2
n
1
cos(αd)
n
2
#
=
·
A B
C D
¸
, (3)
where n
0
is the dielectric constant of GRIN lens along
the z axis, n
1
is the refractive index of the material on
the left side of GRIN lens, n
2
is the refractive index on
the right side of GRIN lens, α is the variation of the
refractive index of the GRIN lens along x and y axes,
and d is the length of the GRIN lens. In inhomogeneous
medium, we find that the two matrix decompositions be-
low led to single-lens equivalent systems for GRIN lens.
Fig. 1. Transformation of ±γ types of matrix.
1671-7694/2010/070647-06
c
° 2010 Chinese Optics Letters