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Photonics Dictionary

cylindrical lens

A cylindrical lens is an optical component that has different curvatures along its two orthogonal axes, resulting in a shape resembling a cylinder. Unlike spherical lenses, which have the same curvature in all directions, cylindrical lenses focus or diverge light only along one axis while leaving it unaffected along the orthogonal axis.

Cylindrical lenses are commonly used to correct astigmatism, which is an optical aberration where light rays from a point object fail to converge to a single point due to differing focal lengths in different meridians. By focusing light in one direction while allowing it to remain unfocused in the perpendicular direction, cylindrical lenses can correct this distortion and produce a sharp image.

These lenses find applications in various optical systems, including laser beam shaping, barcode scanners, ophthalmic devices, and anamorphic lenses used in cinematography. They are typically fabricated from materials such as glass, plastic, or crystalline substances and are available in both positive (convex) and negative (concave) forms, depending on the specific requirements of the optical system.
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