Design strategy for flat-field Schmidt optical system

The present study provides the theory base for designing flat-field Schmidt optical systems, based on the wavefront aberration of Petzval field curvature, a mathematic model of the Petzval radius is setting up. The radius of Petzval image surface is not equal to the focal length of the primary mirror or the focal length of the system. An aberration balancing method for flat-field Schmidt optical systems design is proposed: did not change parameters of the corrector, through adjusting the distance between the plate and the mirror to realize aberration equilibrium. The total physical track is more compact than equilibrium before. (C) 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.