Progress in Freeform Optical Design and Future Prospects
A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 732
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Freeform optics, as an essential branch of modern optical technology, plays an increasingly crucial role in imaging systems, lighting engineering, augmented/virtual reality (AR/VR), and cutting-edge scientific research. Its unique asymmetry and flexibility provide broad possibilities for realizing complex optical functions, enhancing system performance, and advancing new optical technologies. As application demands continue to grow, freeform optical design not only requires precise model and optimization algorithms, but also faces challenges in advanced manufacturing, precise measurement, and application dissemination.
To overcome these challenges, continuous innovation in the manufacturing technology of freeform surfaces is necessary to meet the demands for accurate processing of complex shapes. At the same time, high-precision measuring technology is critical to ensuring that the designed freeform optical components achieve the expected optical performance. Additionally, as the technology of freeform surfaces develops and matures, its applications in optoelectronics, biomedical imaging, and other fields are expanding, demonstrating the broad potential of freeform optical design in practical industry and scientific research.
This Special Issue is dedicated to gathering the latest advancements and future trends in the field of freeform optical design. We welcome submissions related to theoretical research, numerical simulations, and experimental validations. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Design theories and optimization methods for freeform optical systems;
- Applications of freeform surfaces in imaging, lighting, and AR/VR technologies;
- Error analysis and tolerance design in freeform optical systems;
- Design and implementation of optical systems based on freeform surfaces;
- Integration of freeform optics with computational optics;
- High-precision manufacturing methods for freeform optical components;
- Innovative methods for the characterization and mathematical modeling of freeform surfaces;
- Frontier explorations in freeform design for high-performance optical instruments;
- Measurement technologies for freeform surfaces;
- Applications of freeform optical systems.
Prof. Dr. Changxi Xue
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- freeform optics
- optical design
- optical manufacturing
- optical measurement
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