Definition of spherical aberration

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Photonics Dictionary

spherical aberration

Spherical aberration is an optical aberration that occurs when light rays passing through a lens or curved optical surface do not converge or diverge to a single focal point. Instead of focusing to a sharp point, the rays focus at different distances from the lens, resulting in a blurred or distorted image. This phenomenon is caused by the inherent shape of spherical lenses or mirrors, which have a spherical (curved) surface.

In a lens with spherical aberration:

Peripheral rays focus closer to the lens: Rays passing through the outer portions of the lens tend to focus at a point closer to the lens than the rays passing through the central portion.

Central rays focus farther from the lens: Rays passing through the center of the lens focus at a point farther from the lens than the peripheral rays.

This difference in focal points for different parts of the lens leads to a lack of a single, well-defined focus point for all incoming light, resulting in image blurring and a reduction in optical performance.

Spherical aberration can be minimized or eliminated by using lens designs that incorporate multiple lens elements, such as compound lenses or aspherical lenses. Additionally, special lens shapes, such as parabolic surfaces, can be employed to reduce spherical aberration and improve the overall image quality. In optical systems where precision is crucial, correcting spherical aberration becomes particularly important to ensure accurate imaging.

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