Design, Analysis, and Manufacturing of a High-Performance Glass-Plastic Hybrid Minimalist Aspheric Panoramic Annular Lens

Core Concepts

A high-performance glass-plastic hybrid minimalist aspheric panoramic annular lens (ASPAL) is proposed to solve the limitations of traditional panoramic annular lenses, such as large size, high weight, and complex system, while achieving a wide field of view and high imaging quality close to the diffraction limit.

Abstract

The authors propose a high-performance glass-plastic hybrid minimalist aspheric panoramic annular lens (ASPAL) to address the limitations of traditional panoramic annular lenses (PALs), such as large size, high weight, and complex system. The ASPAL consists of only 4 lenses and weighs only 8.5 g, making it smaller than a coin.
The key highlights and insights are:

The ASPAL has a field of view (FoV) of 360°×(35°~110°) and its imaging quality is close to the diffraction limit.
The authors establish a physical structure model of PAL using ray tracing and study the influence of its physical parameters on the compactness ratio.
To evaluate the local tolerances of annular surfaces, the authors propose a tolerance analysis method suitable for ASPAL, which can effectively analyze surface irregularities and provide clear guidance on manufacturing tolerances.
Benefiting from high-precision glass molding and injection molding aspheric lens manufacturing techniques, the authors fabricated 20 ASPAL prototypes in small batches.
The framework provides promising insights for the application of panoramic systems in space and weight-constrained environmental sensing scenarios such as intelligent security, micro-UAVs, and micro-robots.

Stats

The ASPAL has a field of view (FoV) of 360°×(35°~110°) and an F/# of 4.5.
The maximum RMS spot radius of the ASPAL is 2.1 μm, and the modulation transfer function (MTF) is higher than 0.47 at 133 lp/mm.
The maximum f-θ distortion of the ASPAL is approximately 3.5%, and the minimum relative illumination is 0.89.

Quotes

"The ASPAL consists of only 4 lenses and weighs only 8.5 g, making it smaller than a coin."
"Benefiting from high-precision glass molding and injection molding aspheric lens manufacturing techniques, the authors fabricated 20 ASPAL prototypes in small batches."

Key Insights Distilled From

Design, analysis, and manufacturing of a glass-plastic hybrid minimalist aspheric panoramic annular lens

by Shaohua Gao,... at arxiv.org 05-07-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2405.02942.pdf

Deeper Inquiries

How can the ASPAL design be further optimized to achieve an even wider field of view while maintaining high imaging quality

To achieve an even wider field of view while maintaining high imaging quality, the ASPAL design can be further optimized in several ways:

Optical Design Optimization: By optimizing the curvature radii and refractive indices of the lenses, as well as adjusting the thickness and spacing between the lenses, the optical system can be fine-tuned to accommodate a wider field of view without compromising imaging quality.

Aspheric Surface Optimization: Further optimization of the aspheric surfaces, including adjusting the coefficients of the aspheric terms and optimizing the surface irregularities, can help improve the imaging performance of the ASPAL across a wider field of view.

Incorporation of Freeform Surfaces: Introducing freeform surfaces in the design can help correct aberrations and improve imaging quality, especially towards the edges of the field of view where traditional surfaces may struggle.

Advanced Coating Technologies: Utilizing advanced coating technologies to reduce reflections and increase light transmission can enhance the overall performance of the ASPAL, allowing for a wider field of view with minimal loss of image quality.

Iterative Tolerance Analysis: Conducting iterative tolerance analysis to identify and address potential manufacturing variations and their impact on imaging quality can help optimize the design for a wider field of view while ensuring consistent performance.

What are the potential challenges and limitations in scaling up the manufacturing of ASPAL for mass production

Scaling up the manufacturing of ASPAL for mass production may pose several challenges and limitations:

Complex Manufacturing Processes: The intricate design of the ASPAL, including the use of glass-plastic hybrid materials and aspheric surfaces, may require specialized manufacturing processes that are more complex and time-consuming.

High Precision Requirements: Mass production of ASPALs would necessitate high precision in manufacturing to ensure uniformity and consistency across a large number of lenses, which can be challenging to maintain at scale.

Cost Considerations: The use of advanced manufacturing techniques and high-quality materials for ASPAL production may result in higher manufacturing costs, making it challenging to achieve cost-effective mass production.

Quality Control: Ensuring quality control measures are in place to monitor and maintain the performance standards of each ASPAL produced during mass manufacturing can be a logistical challenge.

Supply Chain Management: Coordinating the supply chain for sourcing specialized materials and components required for ASPAL production on a large scale can be complex and may require robust logistics management.

How can the ASPAL technology be adapted or combined with other emerging optical sensing technologies to enable new applications in areas such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, or augmented reality

The ASPAL technology can be adapted and combined with other emerging optical sensing technologies to enable new applications in various fields:

Robotics: Integrating ASPAL technology into robotic systems can enhance their perception capabilities, enabling robots to navigate and interact with their environment more effectively. The wide field of view provided by ASPAL can improve object detection and tracking in robotic applications.

Autonomous Vehicles: By incorporating ASPAL technology into the sensor suite of autonomous vehicles, such as self-driving cars, the vehicles can benefit from enhanced panoramic imaging for improved situational awareness and safety on the road.

Augmented Reality: ASPAL technology can be utilized in augmented reality devices to provide users with a more immersive and realistic AR experience. The wide field of view and high imaging quality of ASPAL can enhance the visual content overlay in AR applications.

Environmental Monitoring: ASPAL technology can be used in environmental sensing applications, such as monitoring air quality, wildlife tracking, and disaster response. The panoramic imaging capabilities of ASPAL can provide comprehensive data for environmental analysis and decision-making.

Medical Imaging: Integrating ASPAL technology into medical imaging devices can improve diagnostic capabilities and enhance visualization in procedures such as endoscopy and minimally invasive surgeries. The wide field of view and high-quality imaging can aid healthcare professionals in making more accurate assessments.