Accurate camera performance prediction using optical and imaging simulation pipeline for super wide-angle lens

Abstract

Optical design process consists in minimizing aberrations using optimization methods. It relies on key performance indicators (KPIs), such as point spread function (PSF), Modulated transfer function (MTF), or relative illumination (RI) and spot sizes, that depend on lens elements aberrations. Their target values need to be defined -either for human or machine perception- at early stage of the design, which can be complex to do for challenging designs such as extended field of view. We developed an optical and imaging simulation pipeline able to render the effects of complex optical designs and image sensor on an initial aberration-free image. Extracting files from ray tracing software for simulating the PSF and sensor target information, the algorithm accurately renders off-axis aberrations with Zernike polynomials representation combined with noise contribution and relative illumination. The obtained image faithfully represents an optical system performance from the optics to the sensor component and we can then study the impact of additional aberration introduction.