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Thin lens
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Optics/p0vq4S1T">optics</a>, a thin lens is a <a href="/facts/Lens_(optics)/ejlH6n5c">lens</a> with a thickness (distance along the <a href="/facts/Optical_axis/fKFqnagT">optical axis</a> between the two surfaces of the lens) that is negligible compared to the <a href="/facts/Radius_of_curvature_(optics)/22RwFXIP">radii of curvature</a> of the lens surfaces. Lenses whose thickness is not negligible are sometimes called <i>thick lenses</i>. </p><p>The thin lens approximation ignores optical effects due to the thickness of lenses and simplifies <a href="/facts/Ray_tracing_(physics)/VKdjk6Sc">ray tracing</a> calculations. It is often combined with the <a href="/facts/Paraxial_approximation/Mj2XrtWm">paraxial approximation</a> in techniques such as <a href="/facts/Ray_transfer_matrix_analysis/k8MtAnYt">ray transfer matrix analysis</a>. </p>