Classical field curvature theory emphasizes the Petzval theorem, which models field curvature aberration to the 4th order. However, modern lens designs use aspheric surfaces. These surfaces strongly induce higher order field curvature aberration which is not accounted for Petzval field curvature. This dissertation focuses on developing higher order field curvature theories that are applied to highly aspheric designs. Three new theories to control field curvature aberration are discussed. Theory 1: an aspheric surface that is close to the image and has two aspheric terms sharply reduces field curvature by 85%. Theory 2: an aspheric surface that is farther from the image plane induces astigmatism to balance Petzval field curvature. Theory 3: oblique spherical aberration can be induced to balance Petzval field curvature. All three theories are applied to real design examples including the following lenses: cellular phone, wide angle, fast photographic, and zoom lenses. All of the analyses results are consistent with the theories. Moreover, two types of novel aspheric surfaces are proposed to control field curvature. Neither of the surfaces are polynomial-type surfaces. Examples show that the novel aspheric surfaces are equivalent to even aspheric surfaces with two aspheric coefficients in terms of field curvature correction. The study on field curvature correction using aspheric surfaces provides an alternative method to use when aspheres are accessible. Overall, this dissertation advances the theory of field curvature aberration, and it is particularly valuable to evaluate highly aspheric designs when Petzval theory is inapplicable.

Si dans les caméras actuelles, les matrices de photodétection sont planes, dans la nature, aucune surface focale n'est plane : la rétine est soit concave (œil humain), soit convexe (œil d'insecte). Ces architectures offrent deux solutions de miniaturisation et de simplification des systèmes de détection, qui ont fait l'objet des travaux de cette thèse. La courbure concave du détecteur permet de supprimer l'aberration de courbure de champ qui est particulièrement présente dans les instruments grand champ. L'étude théorique de cette solution, étayée par des applications concrètes, a permis de démontrer la simplification des architectures accessibles par cette approche, ainsi que les améliorations en termes de performances optiques. La courbure convexe permet quant à elle de miniaturiser les systèmes grand champ, en s'inspirant de l'œil composé des petits invertébrés. Cette architecture, constituée de groupes de pixels reliés par une métallisation souple, a été réalisée sur une matrice de détecteurs infrarouge en CdHgTe. Les composants obtenus sont fonctionnels et comparables en termes de performances aux valeurs standard. Ils ouvrent à la voie à des architectures grand champ extrêmement compactes. L'originalité du travail a porté sur la mise en forme sphérique de composants monolithiques, dont la couche active n'est pas modifiée, permettant ainsi de produire des systèmes avec un taux de remplissage de 100%. Après une étude de la souplesse d'échantillons de silicium aminci, le procédé de courbure a été transféré sur des composants fonctionnels: circuit de lecture Si-CMOS et matrice de micro-bolomètres infrarouge. La courbure concave des matrices de détection infrarouge de type micro-bolomètres, a mené à la réalisation de deux caméras. La première, constituée de deux lentilles du commerce, a permis de comparer les systèmes composés des détecteurs plan et courbe. Le gain lié à la courbure sphérique de la rétine sur l'uniformité de la réponse impulsionnelle a été prouvé grâce aux mesures de la fonction de transfert de contrastes (FTC). Enfin, à l'image d'un œil humain, un œil infrarouge composé d'une seule lentille et d'une matrice de micro-bolomètres courbée en concave a été réalisée. La qualité des images obtenues, ainsi que la FTC mesurée, ont mis en évidence le potentiel des plans focaux courbés pour des systèmes ultra-compacts, inenvisageables jusqu'à ce jour. / In natural world, plane retina, on which are based our cameras does not exist. The focal plane is either concave for human beings or convex in insects' eyes. Both curvatures offer novel solution to miniaturize and simplify the optical design, and both of them have been studied in this work.The concave curving of the focal plane suppresses one aberration, the field curvature, on which depends the image quality of large field of view instruments. Advantages in image quality and optical design have been studied by theoretical analysis and by real cases of instruments. The convex curvature results in a miniaturization achieved by reproducing the compound eye of small invertebrates. This design, which is composed of several groups of pixels interconnected by metallic lines, has been realized with cooled infrared detecting device. The performed detectors are still electrically functional with a comparable behaviour than conventional sensors. The originality of this work is the spherical curvature of monocrystalline and monolithic components; the active layer is not modified for this purpose. The process of curvature has been developed on thinned square silicon bare dies and then transferred to thinned functional devices: Si-CMOS and micro-bolometers. The concave curvature of bolometers leads to the realization of two cameras. The first one, composed of two commercial lenses, was dedicated to the comparison between a planar traditional camera and a curved detector system. Optical advantages, and especially the response uniformity, have been proved thanks to measures of the contrast modulation function (CMF). Finally, I have realized an infrared eye composed of a unique lens and a curved concave bolometer. Both the image quality obtained and CMF experiments proved the interest of the curved focal plane in miniaturized optical systems.

The aim of this master's thesis is to explore and study dynamic aberration correction options in electron-beam lithography systems. For the calculations, the thesis uses the optical column of the BS600 electron-beam writer. The thesis focuses on corrections of the third order field curvature, astigmatism, and distortion aberrations of the currently used magnetic deflection system and a newly designed electrostatic deflection system. The parameters of the two deflection and correction systems were compared.