Modeling Fraunhofer diffractive characteristics for modulation transfer function analysis of tilted ring metallic mesh

In order to analyze the Fraunhofer diffractive characteristics and modulation transfer function (MTF) of a tilted ring metallic mesh, an optical intensity distribution model of Fraunhofer diffraction is built using Huygens–Fresnel diffraction theory and the diffraction integral is carried out directly in the tilted mesh plane. The diffraction characteristics of the tilted ring metallic mesh are in good agreement with experimental results, which proves the correctness of the model established. MTF of an optical system with metallic mesh is calculated based on the model established and Fourier transform. Analysis shows that the degradation of MTF caused by diffraction of a ring mesh is much less than that of a square mesh whether they are vertical or tilted to the optical axis. Therefore, ring mesh can provide higher imaging quality than square mesh when they are used as high-pass filters in optical windows. A tilted array diffraction modulating factor is abstracted and believed useful in the analysis of diffractive characteristics of tilted square mesh and ring mesh, and it can be extended to Fraunhofer diffractive characteristics analysis of other tilted diffraction arrays.