Applied Optics

Professor Akhilesh Kumar Mishra

Department of Physics
Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee
Lecture 08
Thick and Thin Lenses, Unit Planes
Hello everyone, welcome to my class we were learning about Matrix Method in Geometrical
Optics. We have already talked a lot about matrix method and we saw how to represent
translation in form of a matrix and then we learn how to represent refraction in form of a matrix.
And then for a complex optical system or for some given optical system, which is like a black
box, we try to form our matrix for this black box and then we learn that there is only one
unknown element. We will implement the knowledge of our matrix to many different system.

(Refer Slide Time: 1:12)

And today, we will learn to implement the knowledge of our matrix method for thick and thin
lenses, we will analyze thick and thin lenses in the purview of matrix and thereafter, we will
talk about unit planes. To start with let us suppose that we have a thick lens which is kept in
air. And the thickness of this lens is given by t, the refractive index of the lens material is n and
since this lens is kept in the air, the refractive index outside this lens is one.

Now, suppose an object O is kept at a distance 𝐷1 from the left refracting surface of this thick
lens while image I forms at a distance 𝐷2 from the right refracting surface of this thick lens.
Here 𝑅1 and 𝑅2 are the radii of curvature of left and right refracting surfaces of this lens.

Now, suppose from point object O a ray emanates and falls at point P on the left refracting
surface and then it undergoes translation within this thick lens and then again it refract at point
Q and then it again undergoes translation and reaches at point I. O to P, P to Q and Q to I are
translation while at point P and Q the ray undergoes refraction, the coordinates of point P and
Q are (𝜆1 , 𝑥1 ) and (𝜆2 , 𝑥2 ) respectively.
(Refer Slide Time: 3:11)

Now, to analyze it, we will try to relate the coordinates of point P and Q. P has the coordinate
(𝜆1 , 𝑥1 ) and Q (𝜆2 , 𝑥2 ), how to relate them, we will use again the matrix formulation which we
learned from our previous classes we will multiply (𝜆1 , 𝑥1 ) with refraction matrix. And this
refraction happens at point P, here (𝜆1 , 𝑥1 ) is the point coordinates of point P and (𝜆1 , 𝑥1 ) is the
coordinate of a point which is just on the top of the refracting surface.

And at this point refraction happened therefore, we multiply (𝜆1 , 𝑥1 ) with the refraction matrix,
right after refraction the ray travel within the thickness of the lens therefore, we will multiply
with the translation matrix, the second matrix is the translation matrix, where t is its thickness
and n is the refractive index of the lens material and at last at point Q the ray again suffers
refraction.
Therefore, we again multiply the refraction matrix, here 𝑃2 and 𝑃1 are the power of refracting
surfaces. 𝑃2 is the power of right refracting surface while 𝑃1 is the power of left refracting
surface and the expressions for 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 are given here, n is the refractive index after lens
material and 1 is the refractive index of the material outside or the medium in which the lens
is kept.

And in our case lens is kept in air we know that the expression for power P=(𝑛2 − 𝑛1 )/𝑅, 𝑛2
is the refractive index of the second medium, 𝑛1 is the refractive index of the first medium.
Therefore, for 𝑃1 , since the second medium is glass therefore, instead of 𝑛2 we will write n and
the first medium is air therefore, instead of 𝑛1 we will write 1 here. Similarly, for 𝑃2 the relation
would be minus −(𝑛 − 1)/𝑅2 . These are the powers of the two surfaces.

After substituting these and multiplying all these three matrices we will get this expression for
system matrix, this is our system matrix, system matrix relates point P with point Q. Now, this
system matrix is for a thick lens. Let us go to a limiting case where our lens is thin what do I
mean by thin, thin means we can equate thickness t to 0, equating thickness t to 0 means this
thickness t is very small as compared to the height of the lens, the distances of the objects and
image from the lens and any other related distances which are involved in the calculation.

We know that all the distance, if all the distances are very large as compared to the thickness
of the lens then we can apply this condition then we can use the t is almost equal to 0 and if we
substitute t is equal to 0 in equation 40 then we will get equation number 41 and then our system
matrix is now reduced, it gets simplified. The first term of the system matrix which is 𝑎11
earlier is equal to 1 now, the second element of the system matrix which is 𝑎12 is now equal to
−(𝑃1 + 𝑃2 ), the third element which is 𝑎21 is equal to 0 while the fourth element which is 𝑎22
is equal to 1. 𝑎11 , 𝑎12 , 𝑎21 and 𝑎22 these are the elements of the matrix which we have already
defined while studying in the last class.
(Refer Slide Time: 7:50)

Now, from equation 32 of previous class where we just equated the third term 𝑎21 term to 0,
we get this here, this is exactly the equation number 32 of previous class. Now, we will use this
relation, we will use this expression, how would we use this, we will substitute for 𝑎11 , 𝑎12 , 𝑎22
and 𝑎21 and after this substitution what are these, now we know that 𝑎11 , 𝑎21 , 𝑎22 , we have the
expression of all these a’s, we will substitute for all these a in equation 42 and this will give
equation number 43.

Now, if we simplify 43 then we will get this relation, 1/𝐷2 − 1/𝐷1 = 𝑃1 + 𝑃2 , but we already
have the expressions for 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 here, we will substitute for 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 and this gives this
relation which is (𝑛 − 1)(1/𝑅1 − 1/𝑅2 ) which we are already familiar with this is nothing but
the expression for inverse of focal length, 1/f =(𝑛 − 1)(1/𝑅1 − 1/𝑅2 ) this we have already
derived this is focal length. Therefore, we can write (1/𝐷2 − 1/𝐷1 ) = 1/𝑓.

Now, let us go to the equation number 41. We know that the system matrix here is 1, 0 and
then −(𝑃1 + 𝑃2 ) and then 1. This is our system matrix here in equation 41 for thin lens. But
we know that (1/𝐷2 − 1/𝐷1 ) = 1/𝑓 = (𝑃1 + 𝑃2 ) therefore in our system matrix we know that
(𝑃1 + 𝑃2 ) = 1/𝑓 and therefore, our system matrix modifies to equation number 46. This is our
system matrix now, the second element is minus of 1/f, inverse of focal length.

And for thin lens we have already derived equation number 45 and using the matrix formulation
we see that we again get the same relation, we again get the same formula, it means that we are
on the right track and we are not using Snell’s law here, it is a very easy now. Now, this all
work for thin lens, what will happen for a thick lens?

(Refer Slide Time: 11:12)

We will again go to equation number 40. What was equation number 40? This is our equation
number 40, the master equation. Now for thick lens, we cannot equate t is equal to 0 then we
will see what are the matrix element here. The first element 𝑎11 is equal to this, the second
element is this, third element is this and the fourth element is this. This is our equation number
47. These are the elements matrix elements.

For thin lens what we found is that the second term which is 𝑎12 = −1/𝑓 or −1/𝑓 = 𝑎12 , but
we will see while like a thick lens can easily be analyzed, can easily be studied using unit plane,
the concept of unit planes would be explained or addressed in the next topic.

But for the thick lens to this formula holds good and therefore, the expression for inverse of
focal length for thick lens can be given by equation number 48, this relation 1/f is equal to
minus of 𝑎12 also holds good for a thick lens and what is the expression of 𝑎12 this is the
expression of 𝑎12 when we will substitute it back here and then we will get this relation. Now
in this equation 48 if you substitute for 𝑃1 and 𝑃2 then we will get equation number 49. And if
you simplify 49 a bit then this is the final expression for focal length which you get.

Now, you see that in addition to the term which we saw case of thin lenses there is this extra
term and this term appears only when we take into account the thickness of the lens t whenever
t is nonzero then this extra term the second terms appear in the expression of focal length of a
lens.

(Refer Slide Time: 13:31)

Now let us introduce the concept of unit planes, what are the unit planes? Unit planes are two
planes, one each in the object and the image spaces. There is a lens system left to the lens
system is objective space and right to the lens system is your image space. Now, what the
statement says is that there is a one pair of unit plane, here there are two planes, one is in the
object space while the second is in the image space. The condition for these two planes to be
unit plane is that the magnification must be unity.

I repeat, unit planes are two planes when each in the object and the image space between which
the magnification is unity, the magnification which we already studied about this must be unity
for the unit planes. What does it mean? It means that any paraxial ray emanating from the unit
plane in the object space will emerge at the same height found the unit plane in the image space.

Suppose this is our lens system. In this box the lens system is there. And this is the unit plane
in the object space and this is the unit plane in the image space. Then this statement says that
if a ray falls on the first unit plane then it will emerge out of the second unit plane from the
same height, this height must be equal to this height. This is how the unit planes are defined,
unit plane must have unit magnification, the magnification must be unity.

(Refer Slide Time: 15:39)

Now, the schematically the diagram is shown here. Now, this is our lens system and the left
sphere represents the left refracting surface and this represent the right refracting surface. This
object plane is given here and it is given by at the object plane is at a distance 𝐷1 from the left
refracting surface and the image plane is at a distance 𝐷2 from the right refracting surface. The
first unit plane which is in the object space is at a distance 𝑑𝑢1 from the left refracting surface
while the image plane the second unit plane exists at a distance 𝑑𝑢2 from the right refracting
surface.

I repeat 𝐷1 is the distance of object plane from the left refracting surface while 𝐷2 is the distance
of the image plane from the right refracting surface and similarly 𝑑𝑢1 and 𝑑𝑢2 are the distances
of first and second unit planes from the left and right refracting surface of the optical system
respectively. All the distances on the left are measured in negative therefore, these distances
are negative while the distances on the right hand side are positive.

Now a ray here will emerge from the same point, if you launch a ray at the first unit plan then
it will emerge from the second unit and from the same height. This is the basic definition of
unit plane and u and v are the distances of object and image plane from the first and second
unit planes respectively this is all about this figure, but let us go to the analysis domain.

(Refer Slide Time: 18:03)

This we have already done, this calculation we have already derived while studying the black
box system here the optical system within the black box, we have a number of lenses where
they are with a certain separation and therefore, we were not knowing the matrix for this black
box and the matrix element we assumed as 𝑎11 , 𝑎12 , 𝑎21 and 𝑎22 and then finally, we got that
except for one matrix element, all the elements can be calculated using the matrix
representation of lenses.

And during that derivation, we found that this expression is equal to inverse of this expression
and which is equal to inverse of magnification. Now as per the definition of unit planes, the
magnification must be equal to 1, unit plane has unit magnification therefore, if we equate M
to 1, then equation number 51 gives this relation, where 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 is replaced by respectively
𝑑𝑢1 and 𝑑𝑢2 which are the distances of unit planes from the lens system. And 𝑛1 and 𝑛2 as we
know they are the refractive index of the media on the left and right hand side of the lens
system.

(Refer Slide Time: 20:44)

Now, from equation number 52, we can get these two relations. These are the expression for
𝑑𝑢1 and 𝑑𝑢2 which are given by equation number 53 and 54 respectively. From the figure 𝐷1 =
𝑢 + 𝑑𝑢1 and similarly 𝐷2 = 𝑣 + 𝑑𝑢2 , this is what is written here. Now in this expression we
will substitute for 𝑑𝑢1 and 𝑑𝑢2 and then this gives us equation number 55 and 56, equation
number 55 and 56 gives the expression for 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 .

Now, we will again go to equation number 32 which we derived in our previous classes, which
we got after equating the third element of the system matrix, the 𝑎21 element of the system
matrix to 0 here, when we equated the 𝑎21 element of the system matrix to 0. We got equation
number 32 if you just turn your slides and you will see that this is equation number 32. In this
equation, which is now written as equation number 57, we see that there are 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 and we
will substitute for 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 from equation number 55 and 56 which gives us the expressions
for 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 and from here we get this expression. This is a big complex expression. This we
got after substitution of 𝐷1 and 𝐷2 in equation number 57 or in equation number 50.
(Refer Slide Time: 22:09)

From here we can calculate the expression for v, and after a bit of simplification you get
equation number 61 which is very complicated, to simplify it further we will use the property
of a system matrix. Now, the important most probability is the determinant of a system matrix
must be equal to unity from there we get 𝑎11 × 𝑎22 − 𝑎12 × 𝑎21 = 1.

Second simplification arises from this relation, we assume that the lens or the lens system is
kept in air therefore, the medium on the left and on the right of the optical system is air
therefore, the refractive index would be equal to 1, with these simplifications the 61 reduces to
62 which is 1/v−1/u=−𝑎12.

But we know that 1/v−1/u=1/f therefore, −𝑎12 = 1/𝑓 this is what we use for a thick lens.
Therefore, −𝑎12 represents focal length and we get this formula. This is the last unknown
element of the system matrix for an optical system, unknown optical system. Therefore, matrix
method provides us the ways to do this geometrical optics with a lot simplification, with a lot
of easiness.

(Refer Slide Time: 24:02)

Now, we will take an example and the question is consider a sphere of radius 20 centimeter
and refractive index 1.6. The sphere is given here in this figure on right and the radius of this
sphere is 20 centimeter and its refractive index is given as 1.6 and the question asks to obtain
an expression for system matrix and determine the positions of the paraxial focal point for rays
which are close to the axis of the system and which makes very small angle for those rays and
the question asked to calculate the focal point.

Now, the ray falling on this point here on this sphere and then it travels a certain distance inside
the sphere and then it emanates from this point the right point. And at these two points
refraction is happening. And here translation is happening therefore, we will quickly form three
matrices, the two for refraction and one for translation. The refraction matrix would be given
by this relation we know how to calculate it, it is minus of P and what is P, (𝑛2 − 𝑛1 )/𝑅, 𝑛2 is
1.6, 𝑛1 is n and R is 20.

Now, once the refraction matrix at the first point is calculated then we will find the expression
for translation matrix. The translation matrix, instead I should call it translation matrix. The
translation matrix would be given by this 2 by 2 matrix where this is d/n, d is the distance which
it travels and if there is paraxial then this distance will be equal to the diameter of the sphere
and 1.6 is the refractive index of this sphere. The second refraction happens here therefore, the
second refraction matrix would be given or can easily also be calculated and therefore, all these
matrices are known.

But the question says that ray after refraction it converges to focal point, it goes to the focal
point therefore, an extra translation is also involved here, therefore effectively we have two
translation and two refraction. Therefore, for the second translation, we can write the
translation matrix which is given here this so 1, 0 and v; 1 is the fourth matrix element which
is the second translation and v here is the distance of the point where it focuses.

(Refer Slide Time: 26:49)

Now, to get the system matrix we will have to multiply all these four matrices as we did earlier,
we will multiply these four matrices and after multiplication we will get the system matrix.
This is our system matrix. Once system matrix is known, we can correlate the coordinates of
image and object planes, this relation we can easily write.

(Refer Slide Time: 27:23)

Now, if you expand this matrix to get the expression for 𝑥2 then we will get this expression.
Now, the question asks for focal length. Now, consider a ray that incident parallel to the axis,
if the ray is coming parallel to the axis then it will not make any angle with the horizontal, what
do I mean by saying any angle is that, that the parallel ray will be making zero angle with the
horizontal and therefore, its direction cosine 𝜆 = 𝑛 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝛼, 𝛼 is the angle with the horizontal
would be equal to 0.

Therefore, 𝜆 for the incident ray which is parallel to the axis of the lens system would be equal
to 0 and we know from the definition of the focal point is that if a ray is falling parallel to a
lens then it will converge to the focal point and what would be the height of the image at the
focal point? Since ray is converging to the focal point or we can say that for concave lens the
ray will move, after refraction, the ray will follow a path which gives us the feeling that it is
emanating or originating from the focal point. The object image would be form at the focal
point and the image would be point image.

And since the image is point image, it will not have any height and since it is not having any
height 𝑥2 would be 0. Therefore, for ray that is incident parallel to the axis for which 𝜆1 is equal
to 0, the focal plane would be that plane for which 𝑥2 is equal to 0 and which gives if you
substitute 𝑥2 and 𝜆1 is equal to 0 in this first expression. This expression for 𝑥2 then from here
you get the expression for 𝑣2 which is 6.7 centimeter. Once the expression for v is known, then
you can get all the values in the system matrix.

Then you can get the first element is 0.25, 𝑎12 will be 1 by focal length, you can calculate it
easily. And 𝑎21 and 𝑎22 can also be calculated here. This is the elements of the system matrix.

(Refer Slide Time: 30:09)

Then once these things are calculated then you can also calculate the positions of unit planes,
we know what are 𝑑𝑢1 and 𝑑𝑢2 , the expression for 𝑑𝑢1 and 𝑑𝑢2 are already derived and these
are given here in this previous slides. By equation number 53 and 54 gives the expression for
the first and second unit planes, we will use it here. We will use these expressions and substitute
the values of 𝑎11 , 𝑎22 , 𝑎12 , 𝑎21 and 𝑛1 and 𝑛2 and this will give us the positions of unit planes
and we get that 𝑑𝑢1 is equal to 20 centimeter while 𝑑𝑢2 is equal to minus 20 centimeter.

Now, it means that both the unit plane passed through the center of the sphere, why? because
in this sphere, the first sphere, the first unit plane is at 20 centimeter from the left refracting
surface and the second unit plane is at minus 20 centimeter from the right refracting surface.
So, let us see what is this? This is the left refracting surface and the unit plane is at plus 20
centimeter plus means it will be on the right hand side here. Therefore, first unit plane will pass
through the center of the sphere.

Similarly, the second unit plane is at minus 20 centimeter from this refracting surface and the
unit plane is at minus 20 centimeter, minus means, it would be on the left hand side of this
refracting surface. Therefore, unit plane would be here and 20 centimeter is the radius of this
sphere, therefore, this would again be lying at the origin and it would be passing through the
origin and the force, both first and second unit sphere would fall on top of each other as it is
written here. Both unit planes pass through the center of the sphere and it would be one on top
of each other. This is all for today and I will see you in the next class. Thank you for listening
me.