Worst-case-based methodology for tolerance analysis and tolerance allocation of optical systems

A methodology based on the worst-case approach is proposed for solving the tolerance analysis and tolerance allocation problems for optical systems. Compared with existing methods, the proposed tolerance allocation method has two principal advantages, namely, (1) it is based on an optical geometry gradient matrix and therefore provides means of obtaining the allowable tolerance limits, and (2) it yields the allowable tolerance limits of all the independent variables in the optical system simultaneously. The validity of the proposed methodology is demonstrated using a Dove prism for illustration purposes.