Automatic control method for freeform surface shapes

Designing freeform optics with high degrees of freedom can improve their optical performances; however, there are high requirements for controlling the surface shapes of such optics. Optical designers need to add constraints to the optimization process and make repeated adjustments to ensure the manufacturability of these shapes; this process is cumbersome and relies heavily on the experience of the designer. In this study, an automatic control method for freeform surface shapes is proposed. By adding an outer loop to the optimization process, the principal curvature and sag departure of the sampling points are gradually controlled during the optimization cycle based on the system requirements and surface evaluation results. The method was implemented in CODE V and successfully applied to a design example in freeform prism optics.