ASTIGMATIC OPTICAL-SYSTEMS WITH SEPARATED AND PRISMATIC OR NONCOAXIALELEMENTS - SYSTEM MATRICES AND SYSTEM VECTORS

A general system of noncoaxial separated astigmatic optical elements i s examined. Allowance is made for prismatic elements including decente red lenses and refracting surfaces, prisms, and plane interfaces. The directions and positions of a ray entering and emerging from the syste m are related by a system matrix and a system vector. Given an inciden t ray one can readily obtain the emergent ray. The analysis is of fund amental importance for visual optics. Two numerical examples are prese nted. One is a model eye with astigmatic and obliquely crossing astigm atic and decentered surfaces.