Aberrations of plane-symmetric multi-element optical systems

Based on a recently developed aberration theory of plane-symmetric grating systems, its aberration coefficients are firstly extended to be applicable to the plane-symmetric refractive optical surface. To justify the linear approximation of aperture ray in a multi-element system, the ray aberrations of double-element systems with the third-order accuracy of aperture ray are derived and expressed as the form of wave aberrations. The numerical comparisons are then made between the ray tracing, the aberration expressions with the linear and with third-order accuracy of the aperture ray. Moreover, the modifications of the wave and ray aberrations are discussed in the paper when the position of the principal ray changes.