Diffractive microstructures of zoom lenses for visible and near-infrared ranges based on novel optical plastics

Subject of study. The possibilities of minimizing the negative effect of the secondary diffraction orders of diffractive microstructures included in structurally simple zoom lenses on the formed image are considered. Objective. The study aims at demonstrating the effectiveness of novel optical plastics in the design of diffractive microstructures for the correction of chromatism and the extension of the operating spectral range of the objectives using three-component eight- and four-lens refractive-diffractive zoom lenses for the visible and near-infrared ranges as an example. Method. Combined mathematical modeling within geometrical optics approximation and rigorous diffraction theory is used. Main results. We demonstrate that, even in structurally simple objectives, new optical plastics allow bilayer diffractive microstructures to be assembled ensuring the absence of halo and any other visually observable negative effect of secondary diffraction orders on the quality of the formed image in all the specified ranges of focal length variation both under daylight and scotopic illumination. Practical significance. The reported results demonstrate the effectiveness of diversification of advanced commercially available optical plastics using the diffractive microstructures of zoom lenses as an example. These results are aimed at stimulating further efforts toward the development and mass production of optical plastics. (C) 2022 Optica Publishing Group