Thick lenses, lens system and

cardinal points in paraxial optics

Textbook (Hecht), Chapter 6

Image Formation Summary Table
 Complex optical system: Thick lens
Thick lenses, combinations of lenses etc..

Consider case where t is NOT

negligible.
We would like to maintain our n
Gaussian imaging relation
n’

n n' t
+ =P
s s' nL

But where do we measure s, s’ ; f, f’

from? How do we determine P?
We try to develop a formalism that
can be used with any system!!
Cardinal points and planes:
! The cardinal points and the associated cardinal planes
are a set of special points and planes in an optical system,
which help in the analysis of its paraxial properties.
! The analysis of an optical system using cardinal points is
known as gaussian optics, named after Carl Friedrich
Gauss.

! The cardinal points and planes of an optical system include:

- The focal points and focal planes
- The principal planes and principal points
- The surface vertices (or vertexes)
- The nodal points
Cardinal points and planes:
Focal points and planes

! The front focal point of an optical system, by definition, has the

property that any ray that passes through it will emerge from
the system parallel to the optical axis.
! The rear (or back) focal point of the system has the reverse
property: rays that enter the system parallel to the optical axis
are focused such that they pass through the rear focal point.
! The front and rear (or back) focal planes are defined as the
planes, perpendicular to the optic axis, which pass through the
front and rear focal points. An object in infinite distance away
from the optical system forms an image at the rear focal plane.
For objects a finite distance away, the image is formed at a
different location, but rays that leave the object parallel to one
another cross at the rear focal plane.
 Thin Lens
F
AIR Collimated Beam
In paraxial region (Parallel to the OA)
h2 h1
h1≈h2 Optical Axis
n (OA)
Focal Point (Glass)
Collimated Beam
R R (Parallel to the OA)

How do we
measure the focal length? Thick Lens
F=?
AIR Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)
h1>h2 h1
h2 n Optical Axis
(Glass) (OA)
Focal Point
Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)
R R
 Thick Lens: F measured from the center of the lens?
F1
AIR Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)
h2 h1
n Optical Axis
(Glass) (OA)
Focal Point
Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)
h1 = h’1 ; h2 = h’2 R R
L1
F2 Collimated Beam
AIR
(Parallel to the OA)
h’1
h’2 n Optical Axis
(Glass) (OA)
Focal Point
Collimated Beam
It seems F2 > F1. (Parallel to the OA)
R R
Is this correct? L2
 Thick Lens: Define Principal Planes

First Principal Plane (FPP)

F1 (Primary Principal Plane)
AIR Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)
R n R Optical Axis
(Glass) (OA)
First Focal Point
Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)

First Principal Point

(FPP ⊥ OA)
 Thick Lens: Define Principal Planes

Second Principal Plane (SPP)

(Secondary Principal Plane)
F2
AIR
Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)

Optical Axis R n R
(OA) (Glass)
Second Focal Point
Collimated Beam
(Parallel to the OA)

Second Principal Point

(SPP ⊥ OA)
 Thick Lens: Define Principal Planes

F1 = F2
F1 F2
AIR

Optical Axis R n R
(OA) (Glass)
First Second
Focal Point Focal Point

First Principal Plane (FPP) Second Principal Plane (FPP)

(Primary Principal Plane) (Secondary Principal Plane)
 Thick Lens: Front and Back Focal Length

First Principal Plane (FPP)

Second Principal Plane (FPP)
F1 F2
AIR

Optical Axis R n R
(OA) (Glass)
First Second
Focal Point Focal Point

Front Focal Length Back Focal Length

(Front Working Distance) (Back Working Distance)
 Cardinal points and planes:
Principal planes and points
• The two principal planes have the property that a ray emerging from the lens
appears to have crossed the rear principal plane at the same distance from the
axis that that ray appeared to cross the front principal plane, as viewed from the
front of the lens. In this model, rays travel parallel to the optical axis between
principal planes. The principal planes are crucial in defining the optical properties
of the system, since it is the distance of the object and image from the front and
rear principal planes that determines the magnification of the system. The
principal points are the points where the principal planes cross the optical axis.
• If the medium surrounding the optical system has a refractive index of 1 (e.g.
air), then the distance from the principal planes to their corresponding focal
points is just the focal length of the system. If the medium is not air or vacuum,
the distance to the foci is multiplied by the index of refraction of the medium.
• For a thin lens in air, the principal planes both lie at the location of the lens. The
point where they cross the optical axis is sometimes misleadingly called the
optical centre of the lens. Note, however, that for a real lens the principal
planes do not necessarily pass through the centre of the lens, and in general may
not lie inside the lens at all.
Cardinal points and planes

Surface vertices

! The surface vertices are the

points where each surface
crosses the optical axis.
! They are important primarily
because they are the physically
measurable parameters for the
position of the optical elements,
and so the positions of the other
cardinal points must be known
with respect to the vertices to
describe the physical system.
Cardinal points and planes:
1. Nodal (N) points and planes
Nodal points

The front and rear nodal points have the property that a ray that
passes through one of them will also pass through the other, and
with the same angle with respect to the optical axis. The nodal
points therefore do for angles what the principal planes do for
transverse distance. If medium on both sides of the optical system
is the same (e.g. air), then the front and rear nodal points coincide
with the front and rear principal planes, respectively.
Cardinal points and planes:
1. Nodal (N) points and planes

n’
n

N1 N2

nL

NP1 NP2
Cardinal planes of simple systems
1. Thin lens

V’ and V coincide and

n n'
V’ V
+ =P
H, H’ s s'
is obeyed.

Principal planes, nodal planes,

coincide at center
Cardinal planes of simple systems
1. Spherical refracting surface
n’
n
Gaussian imaging formula
obeyed, with all distances
measured from V
V

n n'
+ =P
s s'
Cardinal points and planes:
1. Focal (F) points & Principal planes (PP) and points
R1 ≠ R2
n nL n’

F2
H2

ƒ’

PP2

Keep definition of focal point ƒ’

Cardinal points and planes:
1. Focal (F) points & Principal planes (PP) and points
R1 ≠ R2
n nL n’

F1
H1

PP1
Keep definition of focal point ƒ
 Utility of principal planes
Suppose s, s’, f, f’ all measured from H1 and H2 …

n nL n’

h F1 F2
H1 H2
h’

ƒ ƒ’

1 1 1
s
+ s’ =
PP 1 PP 2 s s ′ f
Show that we recover the Gaussian Imaging relation:
 Conjugate Planes – where y’=y
n nL n’

y F1 F2
H1 H2
y’

ƒ ƒ’

s s’

PP1 PP2
Cardinal points and planes:
1. Focal (F) points & Principal planes (PP) and points

! The distance h1 from the primary principal plane (P) to

the on-axis entrance point of the lens (V), and the
distance h2 from the secondary principal plane (P’) to the
on-axis exit point (V’), are:

(dl is the thickness of

lens, f is focal length.)

Sign convention!
Cardinal points and planes:
1. Focal (F) points & Principal planes (PP) and points

! Each paraxial focal point of a thick lens is located at a

distance f from the nearer of the two principal planes.
! The lensmaker’s equation for a thick lens immersed in air (n0
= 1) is
Cardinal points and planes:
1. Focal (F) points & Principal planes (PP) and points

! The paraxial object-image relation and Newton’s equation

still hold if the object and image distances s , s’ are
measured from the principal planes
! A rule-of-thumb for ordinary glass lenses in air is that the
separation P-P’ roughly equals one-third the lens thickness
V-V’.
Thick Lenses
Thick Lenses
Cardinal planes/points in
paraxial optics
Textbook (Hecht), Chapter 6

1
Combination of two systems: e.g. two spherical
interfaces, two thin lenses …
n H1 H1’ n2 H’ h’ n’ Consider F’ and F1’
(An imaging system
H2 H2’
must have a pair of
focal points.)

Find h’
y
Y
F’ F1’

ƒ’
ƒ1’ 2
Combination of two systems:
h H H2 H2’
Find h H1’
H1

y
Y

F2 F

ƒ
d
ƒ2
1. Consider F and F2
3
n n2 n’
Summary I
H H’ II

H1 H1’ H2 H2’

F F’

n n2 n’

h h’
ƒ ƒ’
4
Summary (to be derived in 6.2)
f P2  n 
 = h
h=d = H 1H = d 
f2 P  n2  Sign
convention
f' P1  n ' 
h' = −d = H’2 H ' = − d   = h '
f1 ' P  n2 
n ' n ' n2 dn ' n
= + − =
f ' f 2 ' f1 ' f1 ' f 2 ' f
or ,
P1 P2
P = P1 + P2 − d
n2 5
 Example: Thick Lens
In air n = n’ =1
n n’
n2 Lens, n2 = 1.5

R1 = - R2 = 10 cm
d = 3 cm
n2 − n
P1 =
R1 Find ƒ1,ƒ2,ƒ, h and h’
n'−n2
P2 = Construct the
R2
R1 R2 principal planes, H,
PP
P = P1 + P2 − d 1 2 H’ of the entire
n2 system
H1,H1’ H2,H2’

For equi-convex or –concave lens in air (n=n’=1.0)

6
P1 = 1/f1= P2 = 1/f2 ≈ P/2 (R1=-R2, d is moderate)
Principal planes for thick lens (n2=1.5) in air
Equi-convex or equi-concave and moderately thick
⇒ P1 = P2 ≈ P/2
d P2
h = •
n2 P
H H’ H H’
d P
h'= − • 1
n2 P

n2 ≈ 1.5, n=n’=1

d
h = − h' =
3 7
Principal planes for thick lens (n2=1.5) in air
Plano-convex or plano-concave lens with R2 = ∞
⇒ P2 = 0, P = P1 P1 =
n2 − n
R1
n'−n2
P2 =
d P2 R2
h= • P1 P2
n2 P P = P1 + P2 − d
n2
H H’ d P1 H H’
h' = − •
n2 P
n2 ≈ 1.5, n=n’=1

h = 0
2
h'≅ − d
3 8
Principal planes for thick lens (n=1.5) in air
n2 − n
P1 =
R1
For meniscus lenses, the principal planes move
n'− n2
outside the lens P2 =
R2
P1 P2
R2 = 3R1 (H’ reaches the first surface) P = P1 + P2 − d
n2
H H’ H H’ H H’ H H’

d P2
h= •
n2 P
d P1
h' = − •
n2 P

|h’| > dl |h’| > dl 9

P Same for all lenses
Examples: Two thin lenses in air
H H’
ƒ1 ƒ2 n = n2 = n’ = 1
P = 1/f

Want to replace Hi, Hi’ with H, H’

1 1 1 d
= + −
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2
P1 f
h' = − d = −d
P f1

d P2 f
h=d =d
h h’ P f2
10
H1 H1’ H2 H2’
 Examples: Two thin lenses in air
H H’
ƒ1 ƒ2 n = n2 = n’ = 1

P1 P2
P = P1 + P2 − d
n2
F F’ or ,
1 1 1 d
= + −
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2

1 1 1
d + =
ƒ ƒ’ s s' f 11

s s’
 Examples: Two thin lenses in air
H H’
ƒ1 ƒ2 n = n2 = n’ = 1

P1 P2
P = P1 + P2 − d
n2
F F’ or ,
1 1 1 d
( = + − )
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2

1 1 1
d + =
ƒ ƒ’ s s' f 12

s s’
Summary: Two thin lenses in air
H H’
ƒ1 ƒ2
n = n2 = n’ = 1

P1 P2
P = P1 + P2 − d
n2
or ,
1 1 1 d
= + −
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2

P1 f
h'= − d = −d
P f1
d
P2 f
h h’ h = d = d
H1 H1’ H2 H2’ P f2 13
Huygen’s eyepiece
In order for a combination of two lenses to be independent of
the index of refraction (i.e. free of chromatic aberration)

1
d = ( f1 + f 2 )
2
Example, Huygen’s Eyepiece

ƒ1=2ƒ2 and d=1.5ƒ2

Determine ƒ, h and h’
14
Huygen’s eyepiece
H1 H’ H2 H
ƒ1=2ƒ2 and d=1.5ƒ2

1 1 1 d
= + −
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2
4
f = f2
3
h’ = -ƒ2
f
h=d = 2 f2
f2
h=2ƒ2
= − f =−
h' d f2
f1 d=1.5ƒ2
15
Two separated lenses in air
1 1 1 d f f
f1’=2f2’ = + − h' = − d h=d
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2 f1 f2

H’ H H’ H

F’ F’
F F

f’ f’

d = 0.5 f2’ d = f2’

16
Two separated lenses in air
1 1 1 d f f
f1’=2f2’ = + − h' = − d h=d
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2 f1 f2

H’ Principal points at ∞
H

F’
F
f’

d = 3f2’
17
d = 2f2’ e.g. Astronomical telescope
Two separated lenses in air
1 1 1 d f f
f1’=2f2’ = + − h' = − d h=d
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2 f1 f2

e.g. Compound microscope

H H’

F’
F
f’

d = 5f2’
18
Two separated lenses in air
1 1 1 d f f
f1’=-2f2’ = + − h' = − d h=d
f f1 f 2 f1 f 2 f1 f2

e.g. Galilean telescope

d = -f2’
19
Principal points at ∞
 Two separated lenses in air
Telephoto lens (zoom lens)

s >> f
1 1 1
+ = f ×s f ×s
s s' f s' = ≈ = f
s− f s

A telephoto lens is a specific construction of a

long focal photographic lens that places its s' f
optical centre outside of its physical m=− ≈−
construction, such that the entire lens assembly
is between the optical centre and the focal plane.
s s
20
Two separated lenses in air
Telephoto lens (zoom lens)

s' f
h=180 cm m=− ≈−
s s
m=-0.01, f ≈ 1 m

h’=1.8 cm

s=100 m 21
 Two separated lenses in air
f1’=-2f2’ (e.g. Telephoto lens)

H’

F’

f’

A telephoto lens is a specific construction of a

long focal photographic lens that places its d = -1.5f2’
optical centre outside of its physical
construction, such that the entire lens assembly 22

is between the optical centre and the focal plane.

Ray tracing: Image formation of two-lens system II

f1=+15 cm f2=-15 cm
60 cm

1 1 1 s −f
= − = 1 1 f1 = + 15 cm s1 = + 25 cm ⇒ s1′ =
s1′ f1 s1 s1 f1
1 1 1
= − f 2 = − 15 cm s2 = d – s’ ⇒ s2′ =
s2′ f 2 s2
m = m1 m2 =

23
Ray tracing: Image formation of two-lens system II

f1=+3.5 cm f2= +1.8 cm

7 cm

1 1 1
= − f1 = + 3.5 cm s1 = + 5.2 cm ⇒ s1′ =
s1′ f1 s1
1 1 1
= − f 2 = + 1.8 cm s2 = d – s’ ⇒ s2′ =
s2′ f 2 s2

24
m = m1 m2 =
Ray tracing: Image formation of two-lens system II

f1=+3.5 cm f2= +1.8 cm

7 cm

1 1 1
= − f1 = + 3.5 cm s1 = + 5.2 cm ⇒ s1′ =
s1′ f1 s1
1 1 1
= − f 2 = + 1.8 cm s2 = ⇒ s2′ =
s2′ f 2 s2

25
m = m1 m2 =
Ray tracing: Image formation of two-lens system II

f1=+3.5 cm f2= +1.8 cm

7 cm

1 1 1
= − f1 = + 3.5 cm s1 = + 5.2 cm ⇒ s1′ =
s1′ f1 s1
1 1 1
= − f 2 = + 1.8 cm s2 = ⇒ s2′ =
s2′ f 2 s2

26
m = m1 m2 =
Ray tracing: Image formation of two-lens system II

f1=+3.5 cm f2= +1.8 cm

7 cm

1 1 1
= − f1 = + 3.5 cm s1 = + 5.2 cm ⇒ s1′ =
s1′ f1 s1
1 1 1
= − f 2 = + 1.8 cm s2 = ⇒ s2′ =
s2′ f 2 s2

27
m = m1 m2 =