Focal length of the lens medium. The quantity is also known as the optical power of the lens. The corresponding front focal distance is: and the back focal distance: In the sign convention used here, the value of "R" will be positive if the first lens surface is convex, and negative if it is concave. The value of "R" is negative if the second surface is convex, and positive if concave. Note that sign conventions vary between different authors, which results in different forms of these equations depending on the convention used. For a spherically curved mirror in air, the magnitude of
Luneburg lens one side, and formula_14 only on the other: The parameter formula_19 is a constant for any given ray, but differs between rays passing at different distances from the centre of the lens. For rays passing through the centre, it is zero. In some special cases, such as for Maxwell's fish-eye, this first order equation can be further integrated to give a formula for formula_14 as a function or formula_13. In general it provides the relative rates of change of formula_14 and formula_13, which may be integrated numerically to follow the path of the ray through the lens. Luneburg lens A