RC Optical Systems - Optical Spot Diagrams

Chromatic Aberration Spot Diagrams...

Refractive lenses such as a corrector plate, scatter light depending on the frequency. This is called Chromatic Aberration or Spectral Dispersion. As light travels through a lens, different frequencies travel through the lens at different speeds. So the total spectrum of light does not come to focus at the same point. Ritchey-Chrétien optic's have only two mirrors. There is no corrector plate in a Ritchey-Chrétien. So they have zero chromatic aberration and can be used for in-focus imaging across the entire spectrum (from visible light to long wave Infrared).

Spot Diagrams from a 16" Catadioptric System showing Chromatic Aberrations caused by the corrector plate.

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RC Optical Systems, Inc. An Arizona Corporation
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