www.iap.uni-jena.de

Design and Correction of Optical

Systems

Lecture 7: PSF and Optical transfer function

2017-05-02

Herbert Gross

Summer term 2017

2

Preliminary Schedule - DCS 2017

1 07.04. Basics Law of refraction, Fresnel formulas, optical system model, raytrace, calculation

approaches

2 21.04. Materials and Components Dispersion, anormal dispersion, glass map, liquids and plastics, lenses, mirrors,

aspheres, diffractive elements

3 28.04. Paraxial Optics Paraxial approximation, basic notations, imaging equation, multi-component

systems, matrix calculation, Lagrange invariant, phase space visualization

4 05.05. Optical Systems Pupil, ray sets and sampling, aperture and vignetting, telecentricity, symmetry,

photometry

5 12.05. Geometrical Aberrations Longitudinal and transverse aberrations, spot diagram, polynomial expansion,

primary aberrations, chromatical aberrations, Seidels surface contributions

6 19.05. Wave Aberrations Fermat principle and Eikonal, wave aberrations, expansion and higher orders,

Zernike polynomials, measurement of system quality

7 26.05. PSF and Transfer function Diffraction, point spread function, PSF with aberrations, optical transfer function,

Fourier imaging model

8 02.06. Further Performance Criteria Rayleigh and Marechal criteria, Strehl definition, 2-point resolution, MTF-based

criteria, further options

9 09.06. Optimization and Correction Principles of optimization, initial setups, constraints, sensitivity, optimization of

optical systems, global approaches

10 16.06. Correction Principles I Symmetry, lens bending, lens splitting, special options for spherical aberration,

astigmatism, coma and distortion, aspheres

11 23.06. Correction Principles II Field flattening and Petzval theorem, chromatical correction, achromate,

apochromate, sensitivity analysis, diffractive elements

12 30.06. Optical System Classification Overview, photographic lenses, microscopic objectives, lithographic systems,

eyepieces, scan systems, telescopes, endoscopes

13 07.07. Special System Examples Zoom systems, confocal systems

1. Ideal point spread function

2. PSF with aberrations

3. Strehl ratio

4. Two-point-resolution

5. Optical transfer function

6. Resolution and contrast

Contents

3

Huygens Principle

wave fronts

Huygens-Wavelets

propagation direction

stop

geometrical shadow

Every point on a wave is the origin

of a new spherical wave (green)

The envelope of all Huygens wavelets

forms the overall wave front (red)

Light also enters the geometrical shadow

region

The vectorial superposition principle

requires full coherence

4

Diffraction at the System Aperture

Self luminous points: emission of spherical waves

Optical system: only a limited solid angle is propagated, the truncaton of the spherical wave

results in a finite angle light cone

In the image space: uncomplete constructive interference of partial waves, the image point

is spreaded

The optical systems works as a low pass filter

object

point

spherical

wave

truncated

spherical

wave

image

plane

x = 1.22 / NA

point spread function

object plane

PSF by Huygens Principle

Huygens wavelets correspond to vectorial field components:

- represented by a small arrow

- the phase is represented by the direction

- the amplitude is represented by the length

Zeros in the diffraction pattern: destructive interference

Ideal point spread function:

pupil

stop

wave

front

point

spread

function

zero intensity

closed loop

side lobe peak

1 ½ round trips

central peak maximum

constructive interference

single wavelets

sum

PSF by Huygens Principle

Apodization:

variable lengths

of arrows

Aberrations:

variable orientation

of arrows

pupil

stop

wave

front

point

spread

function

apodization:

decreasing length of arrows

homogeneous pupil:

same length of all arrows

rp

I(xp)

pupil

stop

ideal

wave

front

point

spread

function

ideal spherical wavefront

central peak maximum

real

wave

front

real wavefront

with aberrations

central peak reduced

Fraunhofer Point Spread Function

Rayleigh-Sommerfeld diffraction integral,

Mathematical formulation of the Huygens-principle

Fraunhofer approximation in the far field

for large Fresnel number

Optical systems: numerical aperture NA in image space

Pupil amplitude/transmission/illumination T(xp,yp)

Wave aberration W(xp,yp)

complex pupil function A(xp,yp)

Transition from exit pupil to

image plane

Point spread function (PSF): Fourier transform of the complex pupil

function

1

2

z

rN

p

F

),(2),(),( pp

yxWi

pppp eyxTyxA

pp

yyxxR

i

yxiW

pp

AP

dydxeeyxTyxEpp

APpp

''2

,2,)','(

''cos'

)'()('

dydxrr

erE

irE d

rrki

I

8

0

2

12,0 Iv

vJvI

0

2

4/

4/sin0, I

u

uuI

-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 250,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

vertical

lateral

inte

nsity

u / v

Circular homogeneous illuminated aperture: intensity distribution

transversal: Airy

scale:

axial: sinc

scale

Resolution transversal better

than axial: x < z

Ref: M. Kempe

Scaled coordinates according to Wolf :

axial : u = 2 z n / NA2

transversal : v = 2 x / NA

Perfect Point Spread Function

NADAiry

22.1

2NA

nRE

r

z

lateral

aperture

cone

axial

image plane

optical

axis

Ideal Psf

r

z

I(r,z)

lateral

Airy

axial

sinc2

aperture

cone image

plane

optical

axis

focal point

spread spot

10

Abbe Resolution and Assumptions

Assumption Resolution enhancement

1 Circular pupil ring pupil, dipol, quadrupole

2 Perfect correction complex pupil masks

3 homogeneous illumination dipol, quadrupole

4 Illumination incoherent partial coherent illumination

5 no polarization special radiale polarization

6 Scalar approximation

7 stationary in time scanning, moving gratings

8 quasi monochromatic

9 circular symmetry oblique illumination

10 far field conditions near field conditions

11 linear emission/excitation non linear methods

Abbe resolution with scaling to /NA:

Assumptions for this estimation and possible changes

A resolution beyond the Abbe limit is only possible with violating of certain

assumptions

11

I(r)

DAiry / 2

r0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Airy function :

Perfect point spread function for

several assumptions

Distribution of intensity:

Normalized transverse coordinate

Airy diameter: distance between the

two zero points,

diameter of first dark ring 'sin'

21976.1

unDAiry

2

1

2

22

)(

NAr

NAr

J

rI

'sin'sin2

ak

R

akrukr

R

arx

Perfect Lateral Point Spread Function: Airy

12

log I(r)

r0 5 10 15 20 25 30

10

10

10

10

10

10

10

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

0

Airy distribution:

Gray scale picture

Zeros non-equidistant

Logarithmic scale

Encircled energy

Perfect Lateral Point Spread Function: Airy

DAiry

r / rAiry

Ecirc

(r)

0

1

2 3 4 5

1.831 2.655 3.477

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

2. ring 2.79%

3. ring 1.48%

1. ring 7.26%

peak 83.8%

13

Axial distribution of intensity

Corresponds to defocus

Normalized axial coordinate

Scale for depth of focus :

Rayleigh length

Zero crossing points:

equidistant and symmetric,

Distance zeros around image plane 4RE

220

4/

4/sinsin)(

u

uI

z

zIzI o

42

2 uz

NAz

22

'

'sin' NA

n

unRE

Perfect Axial Point Spread Function

-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 40

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

I(z)

z/

RE

4RE

z = 2RE

14

Defocussed Perfect Psf

Perfect point spread function with defocus

Representation with constant energy: extreme large dynamic changes

z = -2RE z = +2REz = -1RE z = +1RE

normalized

intensity

constant

energy

focus

Imax = 5.1% Imax = 42%Imax = 9.8%

15

Psf with Aberrations

Psf for some low oder Zernike coefficients

The coefficients are changed between cj = 0...0.7

The peak intensities are renormalized

spherical

defocus

coma

astigmatism

trefoil

spherical

5. order

astigmatism

5. order

coma

5. order

c = 0.0

c = 0.1c = 0.2

c = 0.3c = 0.4

c = 0.5c = 0.7

16

17

Axial and Lateral Ideal Point Spread Function

Comparison of both cross sections

Ref: R. Hambach

18

Annular Ring Pupil

Generation of Bessel beams

Ref: R. Hambach

𝑟𝑝

z

r

19

Spherical Aberration

Axial asymmetrical distribution off axis

Peak moves

Ref: R. Hambach

20

Gaussian Illumination

Known profile of gaussian beams

Ref: R. Hambach

0,0

0,0)(

)(

ideal

PSF

real

PSFS

I

ID

2

2),(2

),(

),(

dydxyxA

dydxeyxAD

yxWi

S

Important citerion for diffraction limited systems:

Strehl ratio (Strehl definition)

Ratio of real peak intensity (with aberrations) referenced on ideal peak intensity

DS takes values between 0...1

DS = 1 is perfect

Critical in use: the complete

information is reduced to only one

number

The criterion is useful for 'good'

systems with values Ds > 0.5

Strehl Ratio

r

1

peak reduced

Strehl ratio

distribution

broadened

ideal , without

aberrations

real with

aberrations

I ( x )

21

Approximation of

Marechal:

( useful for Ds > 0.5 )

but negative values possible

Bi-quadratic approximation

Exponential approach

Computation of the Marechal

approximation with the

coefficients of Zernike

2

241

rmss

WD

N

n

n

m

nmN

n

ns

n

c

n

cD

1 0

2

1

2

0

2

12

1

1

21

Approximations for the Strehl Ratio

22

221

rmss

WD

2

24

rmsW

s eD

defocusDS

c20

exac t

Marechal

exponential

biquadratic

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

22

In the case of defocus, the Rayleigh and the Marechal criterion delivers

a Strehl ratio of

The criterion DS > 80 % therefore also corresponds to a diffraction limit

This value is generalized for all aberration types

8.08106.08

2

SD

Strehl Ratio Criterion

aberration type coefficient Marechal

approximated Strehl

exact Strehl

defocus Seidel 25.020 a 7944.0 8106.08

2

defocus Zernike 125.020 c 0.7944 0.8106

spherical aberration

Seidel 25.040 a 0.7807 0.8003

spherical aberration

Zernike 167.040 c 0.7807 0.8003

astigmatism Seidel 25.022 a 0.8458 0.8572

astigmatism Zernike 125.022 c 0.8972 0.9021

coma Seidel 125.031 a 0.9229 0.9260

coma Zernike 125.031 c 0.9229 0.9260

23

Criteria for measuring the degradation of the point spread function:

1. Strehl ratio

2. width/threshold diameter

3. second moment of intensity distribution

4. area equivalent width

5. correlation with perfect PSF

6.power in the bucket

Quality Criteria for Point Spread Function

d) Equivalent widtha) Strehl ratio b) Standard deviation c) Light in the bucket

h) Width enclosed areae) Second moment f) Threshold width g) Correlation width

SR / DsSTDEV

LIBEW

SM FWHM

CW

Ref WEAP=50%

24

Transverse resolution of an image:

- Detection of object details / fine structures

- basic formula of Abbe

Fundamental dependence of the resolution from:

1. wavelength

2. numerical aperture angle

3. refractive index

4. prefactor, depends on geometry, coherence, polarization, illumination,...

Basic possibilities to increase resolution:

1. shorter wavelength (DUV lithography)

2. higher aperture angle (expensive, 75° in microscopy) 3. higher index (immersion)

4. special polarization, optimal partial coherence,...

Assumptions for the validity of the formula:

1. no evanescent waves (no near field effects)

2. no non-linear effects (2-photon)

sinn

kx

Point Resolution According to Abbe

25

Rayleigh criterion for 2-point resolution

Maximum of psf coincides with zeros of

neighbouring psf

Contrast: V = 0.15

Decrease of intensity

between peaks

I = 0.735 I0

unDx Airy

sin

61.0

2

1

Incoherent 2-Point Resolution : Rayleigh Criterion

-2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.50

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

x / rairy

I(x)

PSF2PSF1

sum

of

PSF

26

Criterion of Sparrow:

vanishing derivative in the center between two

point intensity distribution,

corresponds to vanishing contrast

Modified formula

Usually needs a priory information

Applicable also for non-Airy

distributions

Used in astronomy

0)(

0

2

2

xxd

xId

Incoherent 2-Point-Resolution: Sparrow Criterion

-2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.50

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

x / rairy

I(x)

Rayleigh

AirySparrow

x

Dun

x

770.0

385.0sin

474.0

27

Visual resolution limit:

Good contrast visibility V = 26 % :

Total resolution:

Coincidence of neighbouring zero points

of the Airy distributions: V = 1

Extremly conservative criterion

Contrast limit: V = 0 :

Intensity I = 1 between peaks

AiryDun

x

680.0

sin

83.0

unDx Airy

sin

22.1

AiryDun

x

418.0

sin

51.0

Incoherent 2-point Resolution Criterions

28

2-Point Resolution

Distance of two neighboring object points

Distance x scales with / sinu

Different resolution criteria for visibility / contrast V

x = 1.22 / sinu

total

V = 1x = 0.68 / sinu

visual

V = 0.26

x = 0.61 / sinu

Rayleigh

V = 0.15x = 0.474 / sinu

Sparrow

V = 0

29

2-Point Resolution

Intensity distributions below 10 % for 2 points with different x (scaled on Airy)

x = 2.0 x = 1.22 x = 0.83

x = 0.61 x = 0.474

x = 1.0

x = 0.388 x = 0.25

30

Incoherent Resolution: Dependence on NA

Microscopical resolution as a function of the numerical aperture

NA = 0.9NA = 0.45NA = 0.3NA = 0.2

31

Resolution of Fourier Components

Ref: D.Aronstein / J. Bentley

object

pointlow spatial

frequencies

high spatial

frequencies

high spatial

frequencies

numerical aperture

resolved

frequencies

object

object detail

decomposition

of Fourier

components

(sin waves)

image for

low NA

image for

high NA

object

sum

32

),(ˆ),( yxIFvvH PSFyxOTF

*

2

( ) ( )2 2

( )

( )

x xp p p

OTF x

p p

f v f vP x P x dx

H v

P x dx

Optical Transfer Function: Definition

Normalized optical transfer function (OTF) in frequency space: Fourier transform of the Psf- intensity

Absolute value of OTF: modulation transfer function MTF Gives the contrast at a special spatial frequency of a sine grating

OTF: Autocorrelation of shifted pupil function, Duffieux-integral Interpretation: interference of 0th and 1st diffraction of the light in the pupil

x

y

x

y

L

L

x

y

o

o

x'

y'

p

p

light

source

condenser

conjugate to object pupil

object

objective

pupil

direct

light

at object diffracted

light in 1st order

x p

y p

area of

integration

shifted pupil

areas

f x

y f

p

q

x

y

x

y

L

L

x

y

o

o

x'

y'

p

p

light

source

condenser

conjugate to object pupil

object

objective

pupil

direct

light

at object diffracted

light in 1st order

Interpretation of the Duffieux Iintegral

Interpretation of the Duffieux integral:

overlap area of 0th and 1st diffraction order,

interference between the two orders

The area of the overlap corresponds to the

information transfer of the structural details

Frequency limit of resolution:

areas completely separated

34

Duffieux Integral and Contrast

Separation of pupils for

0. and +-1. Order

MTF function

Image contrast for

sin-object

I

x

V = 100%

V = 33%V = 50%

V = 20%

minI = 0.33 minI = 0.5 minI = 0.66

1

image contrast

pattern

period

spatialfrequency

100 %

0 NA/ 2NA/

/NA /2NA8

pupil

diffraction order

Ref: W. Singer

35

Optical Transfer Function of a Perfect System

Aberration free circular pupil:

Reference frequency

Cut-off frequency:

Analytical representation

Separation of the complex OTF function into:

- absolute value: modulation transfer MTF

- phase value: phase transfer function PTF

'sinu

f

avo

'sin222 0

un

f

navvG

2

000 21

22arccos

2)(

v

v

v

v

v

vvHMTF

),(),(),( yxPTF

vvHi

yxMTFyxOTF evvHvvH

/ max0

0

1

0.5 1

0.5

gMTF

36

I Imax V

0.010 0.990 0.980

0.020 0.980 0.961

0.050 0.950 0.905

0.100 0.900 0.818

0.111 0.889 0.800

0.150 0.850 0.739

0.200 0.800 0.667

0.300 0.700 0.538

Contrast / Visibility

The MTF-value corresponds to the intensity contrast of an imaged sin grating

Visibility

The maximum value of the intensity

is not identical to the contrast value

since the minimal value is finite too

Concrete values:

minmax

minmax

II

IIV

I(x)

-2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 1 1.5 2

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

x

Imax

Imin

object

image

peak

decreased

slope

decreased

minima

increased

37

Modulation Transfer

Convolution of the object intensity distribution I(x) changes:

1. Peaks are reduced

2. Minima are raised

3. Steep slopes are declined

4. Contrast is decreased

I(x)

x

original image

high resolving image

low resolving image

Imax-Imin

Due to the asymmetric geometry of the psf for finite field sizes, the MTF depends on the

azimuthal orientation of the object structure

Generally, two MTF curves are considered for sagittal/tangential oriented object structures

Sagittal and Tangential MTF

y

tangential

plane

tangential sagittal

arbitrary

rotated

x sagittalplane

tangential

sagittal

gMTF

tangential

ideal

sagittal

1

0

0.5

00.5 1

/ max

39

Real MTF of system with residual aberrations:

1. contrast decreases with defocus

2. higher spatial frequencies have stronger decrease

Real MTF

z = 0

z = 0.1 Ru

gMTF

1

0.75

0.25

0.5

0

-0.250 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

z = 0.2 Ru

z = 0.3 Ru

z = 1.0 Ru

z = 0.5 Ru

-100 -50 0 50 1000

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

gMTF

(z,f)

z in

RU

max

= 0.05

max

= 0.1

max

= 0.2

max

= 0.3

max

= 0.4

max

= 0.5

max

= 0.6

max

= 0.7

max

= 0.8

Zernike

coefficients:

c5 = 0.02

c7 = 0.025

c8 = 0.03

c9 = 0.05

40

Resolution/contrast criterion:

Ratio of contrasts with/without aberrations for one selected spatial frequency

Real systems:

Choice of several application relevant

frequencies

e.g. photographic lens:

10 Lp/mm, 20 Lp/mm, 40 Lp/mm

Hopkins Factor

)(

)()(

)(

)(

vg

vgvg

ideal

MTF

real

MTFMTF gMTF

ideal

real

gMTF

real

gMTF

ideal

1

0.5

0

41

Photographic lenses with different performance

42

Modulation Transfer Function

10 c/mm

20 c/mm

40 c/mm

Objektiv 1 f/ 3.5 Objektiv 2

000 0000

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

-25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 25

max. MTF Bildhöhe [mm] max. MTF

MT

F [

%]

b

ei 1

0 , 2

0 , 4

0 L

p/m

m ....... ta

n _

__

sa

g

0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

Lens 1 f/3.5 Lens 2

Image height

43

Calculation of MTF – Some more examples

1-dim case

circular pupil

Ring pupil =

central obscuration

(75%)

Apodization =

reduced transmission

at pupil edge

(Gauss to 50%)

The transfer of frequencies depends on

transmission of pupil

Ring pupil higher contrast near

the diffraction limit

Apodisation increase of contrast at

lower frequencies

1

0,5

MTF

Ref: B. Böhme

Resolution Test Chart: Siemens Star

original good system

astigmatism comaspherical

defocusa. b. c.

d. e. f.

44

Contrast vs contrast as a function of spatial frequency

Typical: contrast reduced for

increasing frequency

Compromise between

resolution and visibilty

is not trivial and depends

on application

Contrast and Resolution

V

c

1

010

HMTF

Contrast

sensitivity

HCSF

45

Optical Transfer Function of a Perfect System

Loss of contrast for higher spatial frequencies

contrast

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 10.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 10.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.9

1

ideal

MTF

/max

/max

46

Contrast / Resolution of Real Images

resolution,

sharpness

contrast,

saturation

Degradation due to

1. loss of contrast

2. loss of resolution

47