title: Realizability of optical systems of given linear optical character.
abstract: The linear optical character of an optical system is represented by a particular type of 5 x 5 matrix. This article shows that the converse is also true, namely, that an optical system can be constructed in principle with linear optical character represented by any matrix of this type. In other words, every matrix of this type is realizable as an optical system. The system may have astigmatic and decentered elements.
authors.affiliation: Optometric Science Research Group, Department of Optometry, Rand Afrikaans University, Auckland Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. wfh@na.rau.ac.za
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D016014:Linear Models; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D055095:Optics and Photonics