Google Classroom
GeoGebraTarefa

Iterative Assembly: Correcting the spherical aberration of a mirror

Iterative Assembly

This simulation shows a simple but effective numerical method for generating a corrective lens for spherical aberration, in this case, of mirrors. By starting at the focus, the rays from a point source are traced and reflected, then become the inputs of the system. For a desired output angle, each normal angle of the aspheric lens is calculated and assembled iteratively from a starting vertex point. The user can click and drag the focal point, as well as the starting and end angles and the starting vertex of the aspheric. Notice that the solution breaks if the aspheric curve is placed after the input rays intersect each other. On the top-left corner, the mirror can be changed from spherical to parabolic, and the relative index of refraction changed. On the bottom-left corner, the output angle function can be customized. Although the it is displayed as a function of , it is actually a function of the input angle . If the lens disappears, it might mean that a solution is impossible with the current parameters.