LensElement

Optical lens element properties

Since R2026a

Description

Add-On Required: This feature requires the Optical Design and Simulation Library for Image Processing Toolbox add-on.

A LensElement object specifies the properties of a lens element in an optical system, such as its shape, position, and angular orientation. Add two or more refractive surfaces to an optical system using the addRefractiveSurface object function, which creates a LensElement object.

Properties

Name — Name of lens element

[] (default) | scalar | character vector

Name of the lens element, specified as a scalar or character vector.

Surfaces — Refractive surfaces in lens element

N-element row vector of Surface objects

Refractive surfaces in the lens element, specified as an N-element row vector of Surface objects. N is the number of surfaces in the lens element. You can add Surface objects to an optical system by using the addRefractiveSurface object function. By default, all surfaces are planar.

Thickness — Thickness of lens element

non-negative numeric scalar | (N-1)-element numeric vector

Thickness of the lens element, specified as one of these options:

• Non-negative numeric scalar – For a lens element with two refractive surfaces (a singlet), specify the thickness as a scalar value representing the distance between the first and second surface.

• (N-1)-element numeric vector – For a lens element with N refractive surfaces, where N is greater than 2, specify each element of the vector as the distance between consecutive surfaces, in the order they appear along the optical axis. For example, for a triplet lens element with three surfaces, set Thickness = [2.5 1.8], where 2.5 and 1.8 are the distances between the first and second surfaces, and the second and third surfaces, respectively.

By default, the thickness between each pair of consecutive surfaces in a lens element is 1. Units are in millimeters.

Materials — Optical materials of refractive surfaces

opticalMaterial object | (N-1)-element vector of opticalMaterial objects | string scalar | character vector

Optical material of the refractive surfaces in the lens element, specified as one of these options.

• opticalMaterial object – Specify a single optical material to the entire lens element.

• (N-1)-element vector of opticalMaterial objects – Specify a material to the refractive region between each pair of consecutive surfaces, allowing for compound or cemented elements with different materials. N is the number of surfaces in the lens element, where N is greater than 2.

• String scalar or character vector – Specify the name of a material from the glass library, glassLibrary, or the coating material library, coatingMaterialLibrary, to assign the material to the entire lens element. For example, specify Material as "N-BK7" to set the N-BK7 glass as the material of the lens element.

By default, the lens material is defined as opticalMaterial(Name="Glass", RefractiveIndexParameter=[1.5, 50]).

Coatings — Optical coatings

opticalCoating object | 2-element row vector of opticalCoating objects | N-element row vector of opticalCoating objects

Optical coatings applied to the lens element, specified as one of these options.

• opticalCoating object – Apply a single coating to the front, first surface of the lens element.

• 2-element row vector of opticalCoating objects – Apply coatings to both the front and back surfaces. You apply the first element to the front surface, and the second element to the back of the last surface. Each coating is oriented such that its substrate side is adjacent to the lens surface.

• N-element row vector of opticalCoating objects – For a lens element with N surfaces, apply the first N coatings to the front of each corresponding surface, and the Nth coating to the back of the last surface.

By default, the lens element is uncoated.

Shape — Shape of lens surface

Circular object (default) | Rectangular object

Shape of the lens surface, specified as one of these options.

• Circular object — Circular surface shape.

• Rectangular object — Rectangular surface shape.

By default, the shape of the lens surface is circular, with a semi-diameter of 1.

Position — Position of first vertex of lens

[0 0 0] (default) | 3-element row vector

Position of the first vertex of the lens element, specified as a 3-element row vector. The vector is in the form [x y z], where each element is the optical system x-, y-, and z-coordinate.

To learn more about optical coordinate systems, see Coordinate Systems in Optical Design.

TiltAngles — Tilt angles of lens element

[0 0 0] (default) | 3-element row vector

Tilt angles of the lens element, specified as a 3-element row vector. The vector is in the form [$${\theta }_x$$ $${\theta }_y$$ $${\theta }_z$$], where $${\theta }_x$$, $${\theta }_y$$, and $${\theta }_z$$ are tilt angles with respect to the optical system x, y, and z-axes, respectively.

To learn more about optical coordinate systems, see Coordinate Systems in Optical Design.

Note

The TiltAngles property represents Euler angles. If you specify angles that are multiples of 90 degrees, visually verify the orientation of the optical system. Gimbal lock can occur, in which two of the three rotational axes become aligned. This alignment results in the loss of one degree of freedom, and can lead to ambiguous or unintended orientations.

Version History

Introduced in R2026a