Algebraic and numerical analysis of imaging properties of thin tunable-focus fluidic membrane lenses with parabolic surfaces

The theory of third-order aberrations for a system of rotationally symmetric thin tunable-focus fluidic membrane lenses with parabolic surfaces is described. A complex analysis of the third-order design of tunable fluidic lenses is performed considering all types of primary aberrations. Moreover, formulas are derived for the calculation of the change of aberration coefficients of the parabolic tunable fluidic membrane lens with respect to the wavelength. It is shown that spherical aberration of a simple tunable-focus fluidic membrane lens with parabolic surfaces can be corrected, which is not possible with a classical spherical lens. The presented analysis is explained on examples. Derived formulas make possible to calculate parameters of optical systems with fluidic membrane lenses with small residual aberrations. (C) 2013 Optical Society of America