A 2D-error model for nonimaging concentrators composed by multiple optical surfaces is presented. The concentrator surfaces can be either dioptrics, sequential mirrors (as a conventional parabola) or non-sequential mirrors (i.e. CPC- like mirrors). Under the hypothesis of the model, the slope errors of all the surfaces can be transferred to entry aperture and combined there, and the effect of errors can be studied with a single probability density function as in the case of one-mirror concentrators. A single number, the concentrator error multiplier, is defined to characterize the concentrator tolerance to errors. This number and the concentrator acceptance angle are the key to analyze the error sensitivity of concentrators. Finally the model is used to quantify the maximum tolerance on the concentrators surfaces to guarantee a specified quality.

Date Published: 3 October 1997
PDF: 12 pages
Proc. SPIE 3139, Nonimaging Optics: Maximum Efficiency Light Transfer IV, (3 October 1997); doi: 10.1117/12.290214

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 3139:
Nonimaging Optics: Maximum Efficiency Light Transfer IV
Roland Winston, Editor(s)