Effects of third-order aberrations on the irradiance of self-image

We examine the effects of third-order aberrations exerted on the irradiance of image that is observable in a coherent self-imaging system. Both spherical aberration and astigmatism degrade the visibility of the image of a sinusoidal-type grating as well as blur the outline of the image of a rectangular-type grating. Coma laterally shifts the image of a sinusoidal-type grating on the image plane as well as changes a rectangular-type pattern into an asymmetrically blurred pattern. According to our analysis, the self-image of a high-density grating with a period of two times the optical wavelength is not at all affected by spherical aberration. In general a self-imaging system can always be corrected for astigmatism by shifting the image plane in its normal direction. We show that the self-image with defect can be well explained by taking the third-order aberrations and the focus-shift aberration into consideration.