Conformal optical system design with a single fixed conic corrector

A conformal optical system refers to the one whose first optical surface conforms to both aerodynamic and imaging requirements.Appropriate correction is required because a conformal dome induces significant aberrations.This paper intends to explain that an effective solution to the easy-fabrication conic surface corrector compensates aberrations induced by a coaxial aspheric dome.A conformal optical system with an ellipsoid MgF 2 conformal dome,which has a fineness ratio of 2.0,is designed as an example.The field of regard angle is ±30 degrees with a ±2 degree instantaneous field of view.The system’s ultimate value of modulation transfer function is close to the diffraction limit,which indicates that the performance of the conic conformal optical system with a fixed conic corrector meets the imaging requirements.