VECTOR WAVE IMAGERY USING A BIREFRINGENT LENS

The imaging characteristics of a birefringent lens sandwiched between two polarizers is studied analytically. If the optic axis of the biref ringent crystal is perpendicular to the lens axis, the system behaves as a bifocal lens for proper orientations of the polarizers. It is sho wn that the proposed system can be adapted either for apodization or f or superresolution simply by rotating either of the two polarizers. It has greater depth of focus than conventional systems, as is evident f rom the results obtained, Expressions are obtained for the point sprea d function of such a system. Some specific cases are illustrated graph ically. (C) 1998 Society of Photo-Optical instrumentation Engineers.