Hong Kong Polytechnic University Lecture 4

Thick Lens & Matrix Method

Our targets:

• Be able to calculate the image position and

magnification formed by thick lens and thin lens
systems by using matrix method.
• Understand the cardinal points in optical lens
• Understand calculation examples in slides

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Hong Kong Polytechnic University Review

Refraction at a Spherical Surface:

𝑛2 − 𝑛1
=𝑃
𝑅

Thin Lens Equation

1 1 𝑛2 − 𝑛1 1 1 1 1 1 𝑠′ 𝟏
+ = − + = 𝑚=− =𝑷
𝑠 𝑠′ 𝑛1 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑠 𝑠′ 𝑓 𝑠 𝒇

Ray diagram method

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Hong Kong Polytechnic University

4.1 Matrix method

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Ray tracing in optical system

Ray tracing in an arbitrary optical system: 𝒚𝒇 = 𝑨𝒚𝟎 + 𝑩𝜶𝟎 described

𝜶𝒇 = 𝑪𝒚𝟎 + 𝑫𝜶𝟎 by matrix
height slope

 y f   A B   y0 
  =    
  
f C D   0  radian
?
Final Initial
coordinate coordinate

✓ Progress of a ray can be described by changes in its elevation and direction.

✓ Changes in angle occur at each refraction or reflection in the system.
𝐴 𝐵
✓ The matrix is characteristic of an optical system, which links the rays
𝐶 𝐷
coordinates.
𝐴 𝐵
✓ Our aim: determine the matrix , which can be used to calculate the
𝐶 𝐷
“coordinates” height y and slope angle of the ray 𝜶 at any point in the optical
system from the known input ray (based on the refraction and reflection laws).

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Basic operations of Matrix

column Multiply by a
Constant Identity Matrix

row A ×I = A
I ×A = A
2-row and 3-column Matrix

Matrix * Matrix

Process of
the matrix
product AB of
two matrices
A and B.

A*B
(for this lecture, you need to know)
Determinant
if A or B ≠I
AB≠BA |AB|=|A||B|
Order of
Multiplication

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Ray transfer & refraction Matrix
Height: y1 = y0 + L tan  0
Translation Matrix:
Angle: 1 =  0
Small angle
approximation
𝑦1 𝑦0 + 𝐿 tan𝛼0 𝑦0 + 𝐿 𝛼0
𝛼1 = =
𝛼0 𝛼0
𝑦0 𝟏 𝑳 𝑦0
= 𝑴𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝛼0 =
𝟎 𝟏 𝛼0
Matrix at Refraction Surface:
𝑦′ = 1 ∗ 𝑦 + 0 ∗ 𝛼
𝑦 𝑛 𝑦
𝛼′ = 𝜃′ − 𝜙 = 𝜃′ − = ′ 𝜃 −
𝑅 𝑛 𝑅
𝑛 𝑦 𝑛 𝑦 𝑦
= ′ 𝛼+𝜙 − = ′ 𝛼+ −
𝑛 𝑅 𝑛 𝑅 𝑅
1 𝑛 𝑛
= −1 𝑦+ ′𝛼
𝑅 𝑛′ 𝑛

𝟏 𝟎
𝑦′ 𝑦
𝒏 − 𝒏′ 𝒏
𝑦
′ = 𝑴𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐜 𝛼 = 𝛼
𝛼 From 𝒏 to 𝒏′
𝒏′ 𝑹 𝒏′
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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Reflection Matrix at Mirror

Ray change at Concave mirror: Ray change at Convex mirror:

𝑦 ′ = 1 𝑦 + (0)𝛼 𝑦 ′ = 1 𝑦 + (0)𝛼
𝛼 ′ = 𝜃 ′ − 𝜙 = 𝜃 − 𝜙 = (𝛼 − 𝜙) − 𝜙 𝛼′ = 𝜃 + 𝜑 = 𝛼 + 𝜑 + 𝜑
𝑦 2 2𝑦 2
= 𝛼 − 2( ) = − 𝑦 + 𝛼 =𝛼+ =− 𝑦+𝛼
𝑅 𝑅 −𝑅 𝑅

′
+ +𝛼

+ y
+ 𝛼
+ +

Matrix at Spherical Mirror:

𝟏 𝟎
sign convention for the angles 𝑦′ 𝑦 𝟐 𝑦
that describe the ray directions
= 𝑴𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥 𝛼 =
𝛼′ 𝟏 𝛼
−𝑹
(Angles are considered positive for all rays
pointing upward, either before or after a
R is + (Concave mirror)
reflection; otherwise, negative for rays R is - (Convex mirror) Plane mirror: 1/R=0
pointing downword)
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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Matrix of Single Lens

Thick-lens Matrix:
 y1   y0 
𝑴𝟐   = M 1 
Translation 𝑴𝟑  1  0 
𝑴𝟏 2nd refraction  y 2   y1  𝑦3 𝑦0
  = M 2  = 𝑀 𝑀 𝑀
1  𝛼3 3 2 1 𝛼
1st refraction  2 0

 y3   y2 
  = M 3  𝑀thick lens = 𝑀3 𝑀2 𝑀1
 3  2 

𝟏 𝟎 𝟏 𝟎
𝑴𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤−𝐋 = 𝒏𝑳 − 𝒏
′
𝒏𝑳 𝟏 𝒕 𝒏 − 𝒏𝑳 𝒏
𝟎 𝟏 𝒏 𝑹 𝒏𝑳
𝒏′ 𝑹𝟐 𝒏′ 𝑳 𝟏
𝒏𝑳 𝒏 𝒏
Determinant: 𝑴𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤−𝐋 = ∗ 1 ∗ =
𝒏′ 𝒏𝑳 𝒏′
Thin-lens Matrix: 𝑡 = 0, if 𝑛 = 𝑛′
𝟏 𝟎 𝟏 𝟎
𝑴𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧−𝐋 = 𝒏𝑳 − 𝒏 𝟏 − 𝟏 = 𝟏
𝟏 − 𝟏
𝒏 𝑹𝟐 𝑹𝟏 𝒇

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Hong Kong Polytechnic University System ray-transfer Matrix
Example 4.1: Find the system matrix for the thick lens of previous slide with R1=45cm,
R2=30cm, t=5cm, nL=1.60, and n=n=1.

Solution:  23 25 
 1 0  1 5  1 0  
M =1   1 1  = 24 8
  17 
 50 1.6 0 1 − 120 1.6   7 
1200 16 
System Ray-Transfer Matrix:
The previous derivation can be generalized to represent any number N of
translations, reflections, and refractions by the following,
Final height  y N   y0   y0 
= M M    M M = M M is called the optical
  N −1 1   
Final angle  N   0 
N 2
 0 system matrix.

One property of determinant of the system matrix |M|:

𝑛
|𝑀refrac | = 𝒏𝟎 n0 and nf: refractive index of the
𝑛′ |𝑴| = initial (0) and final (f) media of the
|𝑀trans = |𝑀refl = 1 𝒏𝒇
optical system.

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University System Ray-transfer Matrix
from Matrix Elements to determine image position & focal length in optical systems:
A=0
 y f   A B   y0  B=0
  =    
  f C D  0 

Final Initial Image Object

Object Image
coordinate coordinate
of image of object
C=0 D=0
𝒚𝒇 = 𝑨𝒚𝟎 + 𝑩𝜶𝟎
𝜶𝒇 = 𝑪𝒚𝟎 + 𝑫𝜶𝟎

• Object is at infinity, if A=0: final height only dependents on incident angle

(ie , 𝑦𝑓 ∝ 𝛼0 ), which means the image is at the second focal plane.
• Object location/height are known, if B=0: 𝑦𝑓 ∝ 𝑦0 , image is determined, and
A(=yf / y0) is the lateral magnification m.
• Object is at infinity, if C=0: 𝛼𝑓 ∝ 𝛼0 , a telescopic system and D ( =αf / α0) is the
angular magnification.
• Object location/height are known, if D=0: 𝛼𝑓 ∝ 𝑦0 , means the object is at the first
focal plane of the optical system.
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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Example
Example 4.2: A small object is placed on axis at a distance 16 cm from the left end
of a long, plastic rod with a polished spherical end of radius 4 cm. The refractive
index of the plastic is 1.50 and the object is in air. Determine the image distance x
and the lateral magnification m.

Step1: let the distance from refraction surface to image is x, times a translation
matrix (here, T2) in front of optical systems’ matrix to get the system matrix from
object to image:
Object Image
M = T2 RT1 plane plane

1 x  1 − 11.50 0  1 16
=   1 
  R T2
T1
0 1   4(1.50) 1.50  0 1 
 x 2x  o i
1 − 16 −
=  12 3 x
1 2 
− − 
 12 3 
Step2: when B=0, the image of object with known object distance and height is
formed:
2𝑥 x Inverted image, same
Let 16 − = 0 ⇒ 𝑥 = 24 cm， m = A = 1 − = −1
lateral size as the object
3 12
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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Example
Example 3.3 in lecture 3: suppose now the second medium with 10 cm thick for
example 3.1, with a second concave spherical surface, also of radius 5 cm, forming
a thick lens. x

R1 R2
T1
T2 T3

Solution by Matrix method: Let x be the final image distance (s’2).

Find the system matrix from object to image:
𝑀 = 𝑀𝑇3 𝑀𝑅2 𝑀𝑇2 𝑀𝑅1 𝑀𝑇1
1
1 𝑥 1.33−1 0 1 10 1−1.331 0 1 30
= 1.33 0 1
1
0 1 −𝟓 1.33∗𝟓 1.33 0 1
0.5 − 0.1𝑥 22.5 − 2.5𝑥 𝐴 𝐵
= =
−0.7 −20.5 𝐶 𝐷
Let B=0; the image is A is the lateral A=0.5-0.1*9=-0.4
formed for object x=9
magnification (Inverted, real image)

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Hong Kong Polytechnic University

4.2 Cardinal points of lens

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Cardinal points
6 cardinal points: applicable to any optical system
• first and second system focal points (F1 and F2); (the input ray from the first
focal point F1, after the system, the out put ray parallel to the axis) (a input ray
parallel to the axis, after the system, passing through second focal point F2)
• first and second principal points (H1 and H2); (the extensions of the incident and
resultant rays in above case intersect, by definition, in the principal planes, and these cross
the axis at the principal points)
• first and second nodal points (N1 and N2). (Any ray directed toward N1, emerges from
the optical system parallel to the incident ray, but displaced so that it appears to come from N2)
Planes normal to the axis at these points are called cardinal planes.
1
2

thin lens H1,H2

Thick converging lens Thick diverging lens 1 N1, N2
3 I
H1 H2 H2 H1 O
2
F1 F2
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Hong Kong Polytechnic University Ray diagram of optical system
Determine the cardinal points locations of optical system (thick lens, lens
system)

1 Cardinal points location:

H1, H2, N1, N2, F1, F2

To determine cardinal points

2 location: from the derived
relations between the
3 cardinal points location and
matrix elements (ABCD),
then you can calculate
cardinal points from matrix
- + elements
- +
𝑦𝑓 𝐴 𝐵 𝑦0
• Input plane: left vertex of optical system 𝛼𝑓 =
𝐶 𝐷 𝛼0
(thick lens, or two lens system)
• Output plane: right vertex Optical system’s matrix

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Hong Kong Polytechnic University Cardinal points of optical system

𝑦f 𝐴𝑦0 + 𝐵𝛼 𝑛0 /𝑛f − 𝐴
Similarly, s, q, f2 can be derived 𝜔=− =− =
𝛼 𝛼 𝐶

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Hong Kong Polytechnic University Summary of location of cardinal points

✓ 6 cardinal point locations described by the system 𝑦𝑓 𝐴 𝐵 𝑦0

matrix elements ABCD 𝛼𝑓 =
𝐶 𝐷 𝛼0
𝑛0 𝑛𝑓 Det 𝑀 = AD − BC = 𝑛0 /𝑛𝑓

relative to input and output

reference planes
front (vertex)
focal length
Back (vertex)
focal length

- + - +
First focal length.
relative to principal plane PP1
Front (vertex)
Second focal length f2 focal length
relative to principal plane PP2
Back (vertex)
1 focal length
If 𝑛0 = 𝑛𝑓 , 𝑓1 = −𝑓2 = , 𝑟 = 𝑣, 𝑠 = 𝜔
𝐶

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Ray diagram of Thick lens
Example 4.3: Find the cardinal points and sketch a ray diagram for the hemispherical
glass lens shown in Figure to determine the image. The radii of curvature are R1 = 3 cm,
R2 =∞ , and the lens in air has a refractive index of 1.50.
A B
Solution: Step 1, A and B are input and out
planes, calculate the cardinal points positions:
𝟏 𝟎
𝑴𝒓𝒆𝒇𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕 = 𝒏 − 𝒏′ 𝒏
𝒏′ 𝑹 𝒏′

1 0 1 𝑅 1 0
𝑀 = 𝑀𝐵 𝑀𝑇 𝑀𝐴 = 1−1.5
1/1.5
0 1.5 0 1 1.5∗3
2/3 2 𝐴 𝐵
= =
−1/6 1 𝐶 𝐷
Step 2: Sketch ray diagrams of three
incoming and outgoing rays using
𝑟 = 𝑣 = 0 (H1, N1 at input plane) cardinal points.
𝑠 = 𝜔 = −2 cm (H2, N2 at 2cm left of output plane)
Step 3: Outgoing rays determine a
𝑝 = −6 cm (F1 at 6cm left of input plane)
virtual image VI near the object RO
q= 4 cm (F2 at 4cm right of output plane) erect and slightly magnified.

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Equivalent focal length of two-lens system
Example: using system matrix to determine cardinal points of Two thin-lens system in
air separated by d
Input Output
plane PP2 plane
1 0 1 𝑑 1 0
𝑀 = 𝑀𝐵 𝑀𝐿 𝑀𝐴 = − 1 1 0 −
1
1
1 3 𝑓𝐵 1 𝑓𝐴
f1 N1 N2 s,ω 𝑑
1− 𝑑
H2 f2 𝑓𝐴
F1 2 r,v H1 F2 = 1 𝑑 1 𝑑
=
−1 − 1−
𝑓𝐵 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐵
𝑑
PP1
d 1− 𝑑
𝑓𝐴 𝐴 𝐵
fA fB 𝑑 1 1 𝑑 =
− − 1− 𝐶 𝐷
𝑓𝐵 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐵 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐵

1 1 1 1 𝑑
𝑓1 = −𝑓2 =
𝐶
= + − 𝟏
=𝑷
𝑓eq 𝑓𝐴 𝑓B 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐵 𝒇
Take f2 as back equivalent focal length
f1 as front equivalent focal length Power of thin lens

𝑃eq = 𝑃𝐴 + 𝑃𝐵 − 𝑑𝑃𝐴 𝑃𝐵
Equivalent power of 2 thin lenses with distance d

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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Ray diagram of lens system
Example 4.4: Huygens eyepiece, which consists of two positive, thin lenses separated by a
distance d equal to the average of their focal lengths. Suppose 𝑓𝐴 = 3.125 cm, 𝑓𝐵 =
2.083 cm and 𝑑 = 2. 5cm. The converging incident rays 1, 2 and 3 determine an image
location between the lenses, which acts as a virtual object VO for the optical system. Show
the position of final image.
Input plane Output plane
f1

outgoing

VI
s
incoming
r
Solution: f2
1 1 1 𝑑 2nd 𝑑𝑓2 𝑑𝑓2
= + − 𝑟= = 2.88 cm 𝑠=− = −1.92 cm
𝑓2 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐵 𝑓𝐴 𝑓𝐵
𝑓𝐵 𝑓𝐴
1st positive, right of A negative, left of B
𝑓2 = 2.4cm, 𝑓1 = −2.4 cm relative to principal planes
From cardinal points, find out going rays
An enlarged, virtual image VI is formed by the diverging outgoing rays leaving the
system, as seen by an eye looking into the eyepiece.
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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Cardinal points of Thick Lens
Focal length (F1, F2): 𝑴𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐤−𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐬
1 nL − n nL − n (nL − n)(nL − n) t 𝟏 𝟎 𝟏 𝟎
= − − = 𝒏𝑳 − 𝒏
′
𝒏𝑳 𝟏 𝒕 𝒏 − 𝒏𝑳 𝒏
f1 nR2 nR1 nnL R1R2 𝟎 𝟏 𝒏 𝑹 𝒏𝑳
𝒏′ 𝑹𝟐 𝒏′ 𝑳 𝟏
n
f 2 = − f1 Front (vertex)
n focal length
Back (vertex)
focal length
Position of principal planes (H1, H2):
nL − n nL − n
r= f1t s=− f 2t
nL R2 nL R1
Position of nodal points (N1, N2):
 n n L − n   n nL − n 
v = 1 − + t  f1 
w = 1 − − t  f 2
 n n L R2   n nL R1  input output
plane plane
1 1 1 𝑛𝐿 − 1 𝑡 𝑛2 − 𝑛1
If n=n, 𝑓eq = f2 =−f1 = 𝑛𝐿 − 1 [ − + ] =𝑃
𝑓eq 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑛𝐿 𝑅1 𝑅2 𝑅
Power of surface
Gullstrand's equation: 𝑃eq = 𝑃1 + 𝑃2 − 𝑡𝑃1 𝑃2
Equivalent power of thick lens with thickness t
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 Hong Kong Polytechnic University Summary
Use matrix method to determine the ray coordinate

“coordinate” 𝑦𝑓 𝑨 𝑩 𝑦0 𝒚𝒇 = 𝑨𝒚𝟎 + 𝑩𝜶𝟎

height y 𝛼𝑓 =
𝑪 𝑫 𝛼0 𝜶𝒇 = 𝑪𝒚𝟎 + 𝑫𝜶𝟎
slope angle of the ray 𝜶

3 types of matrix:
1 0 1 0
1 𝐿 𝑀Refl = 2 𝑀refract = 𝑛 − 𝑛′ 𝑛
𝑀trans = − 1
0 1 𝑅 𝑛′ 𝑅 𝑛′

Initial
System Ray-transfer Matrix coordinate

 yN   y0   y0 
  = M M N −1    M M 1  = M  
 N
N 2

 0  0
Final coordinate 𝒏𝟎
Det 𝑴 = |𝑴| =
𝒏𝒇
If 𝑛0 = 𝑛𝑓 , 𝑓1 = −𝑓2 = 1/𝐶
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