Particle swarm optimization applied to automatic lens design

This paper describes a novel application of Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) technique to lens design. A mathematical model is constructed, and merit functions in an optical system are employed as fitness functions, which combined radiuses of curvature, thicknesses among lens surfaces and refractive indices regarding an optical system. By using this function, the aberration correction is carried out. A design example using PSO is given. Results show that PSO as optical design tools is practical and powerful, and this method is no longer dependent on the lens initial structure and can arbitrarily create search ranges of structural parameters of a lens system, which is an important step towards automatic design with artificial intelligence.

Research Highlights► We describe a novel application of PSO technique to the lens design. ► Merit functions in an optical system are employed as fitness functions. ► By using this function, the aberration correction is carried out. ► Design results show that PSO as optical design tools is practical and powerful. ► This method is no longer dependent on the lens initial structure of a lens system.