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Abstract veX"CY`hn
An optical system that includes a molded optical element having a non-uniform refractive index distribution due to molding and a method of manufacturing the optical system is disclosed. Data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution associated with molding of the molded optical element is acquired and used in order to determine the form of an aspheric surface of the molded optical element for correcting aberrations caused by the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. This data may be acquired by measuring the refractive index distribution of an optical element molded based on initial design values that are based on assuming uniformity in the refractive index distribution of the molded optical element or it may be computed based on the form of the molded optical element. The optical element may include a concave optical surface and may be a lens element that includes an aspheric surface. _@BRpLs:4
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Inventors: Tanaka, Takashi; (Kawagoe City, JP) ; Fujita, Hiroaki; (Kawaguchi City, JP) ,{uW8L
Correspondence Name and Address: ARNOLD INTERNATIONAL "J8;4p
P. O. BOX 129 m<FWv2)^
GREAT FALLS }:RT,<
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22066-0129 XoKO2<3
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Assignee Name and Adress: FUJINON CORPORATION ,TKs/-_?
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Serial No.: 058367 RVgPH<1X@e
Series Code: 11 I9[1U
Filed: February 16, 2005 68koQgI[^
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U.S. Current Class: 65/29.11; 65/DIG.13 u{OS6Ky
U.S. Class at Publication: 065/029.11; 065/DIG.013 N"Qg\PS_
Intern'l Class: C03B 011/16 gnQo1q{ 4
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Foreign Application Data M#\ <
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Date Code Application Number [K cki+
Mar 29, 2004 JP 2004-095269 "*++55
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Claims 3I9T|wQ-]
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1. An optical system including a molded optical element having a non-uniform refractive index distribution due to molding, wherein: data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution associated with molding of the molded optical element has been acquired and has been used in order to determine the form of an aspheric surface of the molded optical element for correcting aberrations caused by the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. EJf #f
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2. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 1, wherein: data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution associated with molding of the molded optical element has been acquired by measuring the refractive index distribution of an optical element molded based on initial design values that are based on assuming uniformity in the refractive index distribution of the molded optical element; and said data has been used to compute a corrected form of said aspheric surface by correcting said initial design values.
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3. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 1, wherein: the optical system is provided with a plurality of molded optical elements; one or more of the plurality of molded optical elements has a form that is likely to acquire much more non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution due to molding than one or more others of the plurality of molded optical elements; and data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution associated with molding of a molded optical element has been acquired only for an optical element that has a form that is likely to acquire much more non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution due to molding, and said data has been used in order to determine the form of an aspheric surface of the molded optical element for correcting aberrations caused by the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. !c3```*
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4. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 2, wherein: the optical system is provided with a plurality of molded optical elements; one or more of the plurality of molded optical elements has a form that is likely to acquire much more non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution due to molding than one or more others of the plurality of molded optical elements; and data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution associated with molding of a molded optical element has been acquired only for an optical element that has a form that is likely to acquire much more non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution due to molding, and said data has been used in order to determine the form of an aspheric surface of the molded optical element for correcting aberrations caused by the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. G'ij?^?
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5. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 1, wherein the molded optical element includes a concave optical surface. yfmp$GO:
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6. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 2, wherein the molded optical element includes a concave optical surface. L'zE<3O'3
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7. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 3, wherein the molded optical element includes a concave optical surface. 2v0!` &?M{
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8. The optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 4, wherein the molded optical element includes a concave optical surface.
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9. A method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element comprising the following steps: acquiring data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution due to molding of the molded optical element; computing aberrations due to the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution based on the acquired data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution; computing a corrected form of a molded optical surface of the molded optical element that corrects said aberrations due to the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution; and molding the molded optical element with a mold having duplicating surfaces corresponding to the corrected form. R/^@cA
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10. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 9, wherein the step of acquiring data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution includes the following steps: making a first mold based on initial design values that assumes uniformity in the refractive index distribution of a molded optical element; molding a first molded optical element in the first mold; measuring the refractive index distribution of said first molded optical element; computing data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution of said first molded optical element; and in said step of computing a corrected form of a molded optical surface, the corrected form is computed by correcting initial design values based on the computed data of the non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution of said first molded optical element. Fi mN?s
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11. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 9, said optical system including a plurality of molded optical elements, said plurality of molded optical elements including at least one molded optical element having a form that is not likely to acquire non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution and at least one molded optical element having a form that is likely to acquire non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution, wherein said steps are performed only on an optical element having a form that is likely to acquire non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. !Y (apVQ
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12. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 10, said optical system including a plurality of molded optical elements, said plurality of molded optical elements including at least one molded optical element having a form that is not likely to acquire non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution and at least one molded optical element having a form that is likely to acquire non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution, wherein said steps are performed only on an optical element having a form that is likely to acquire non-uniformity of the refractive index distribution. ^_v[QV
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13. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 9, wherein the molded optical element is a lens having a concave optical surface. yn SBVb!)
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14. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 10, wherein said first molded optical element is a lens having a concave optical surface. 8wr8:(Y$
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15. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 11, wherein the molded optical element is a lens having a concave optical surface. qAoAUDm
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16. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 12, wherein the molded optical element is a lens having a concave optical surface. >lrhHU
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17. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 9, wherein: the molded optical element is a lens element having at least one aspheric surface; and in the step of computing a corrected form of a molded optical surface, the corrected form includes the shape of said aspheric surface. 4SgF,ac3r
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18. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 10, wherein: said first molded optical element is a lens element having at least one aspheric surface; and in the step of computing a corrected form of a molded optical surface, the corrected form includes the shape of said aspheric surface. }91*4@B7
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19. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 11, wherein: said molded optical element is a lens element having at least one aspheric surface; and in the step of computing a corrected form of a molded optical surface, the corrected form includes the shape of said aspheric surface. |6aJwe+*
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20. The method of manufacturing an optical system including a molded optical element according to claim 12, wherein: said molded optical element is a lens element having at least one aspheric surface; and in the step of computing a corrected form of a molded optical surface, the corrected form includes the shape of said aspheric surface. 8p&kL