A paraxial cloak with four lenses of different focal lengths

Abstract: We demonstrate cloaking with four lenses of different focal lengths. To achieve this, we compute the separation distances between lenses such that the effective ABCD matrix is equal to just a propagation in free space. Previously, calculations using this method are restricted to 2 pairs of lenses with equal focal lengths. Our computations, on the other hand, had no such restrictions: we generalize even with an asymmetric case. We derive expressions that show the dependence of the distances on the lenses and their focal lengths. Furthermore, we propose a way to minimize the length of this cloak. Our equations reduce to the Rochester cloak when its restriction is imposed. A general paraxial cloak could be useful in advanced undergraduate experiments in optics because: 1) the limit imposed by the focal length has been lifted; and 2) there is a pedagogical benefit of doing experiments with lenses beyond the usual imaging experiments such as reinforcing concepts in Gaussian optics.