(i) Consider a thin lens placed between a source (S) and an observer (O) (Fig. 9.8). Let the thickness of the lens vary as where b is the vertical distance from the pole. is a constant. Using Fermat’s principle i.e. the time of transit for a ray between the source and observer is an extremum; find the condition that all paraxial rays starting from the source will converge at a point O on the axis. Find the focal length.
(ii) A gravitational lens may be assumed to have a varying width of the form
Show that an observer will see an image of a point object as a ring about the center of the lens with an angular radius
Explanation:-
(i) The time taken by ray to travel from S to is
Or assuming
The time required to travel from to O is
The time required to travel through the lens is
where n is the refractive index.
Thus, the total time is
Put
Then,
Fermat's principle says the time taken should be minimum. For that first derivative should be zero.
Thus, a convergent lens is formed if This is independent of, and hence all paraxial rays from s will converge at O i.e., for rays
Since, , the focal length is D.
(ii) In this case, differentiating expression of time taken t e.r.t. b.
Thus, all rays passing at a height b shall contribute to the image. The ray paths make an angle.
This is the required expression.