Ultraviolet imaging system

1. An ultraviolet imaging system comprises at least two negative lens elements, and at least two positive lens elements,

wherein said ultraviolet imaging system satisfies the following conditions:

−3 <f (i=330) /r 1 <−0.5

65<ν (ALL)

0<ν (i=330) ( P )−ν (i=330) ( N )<10

wherein

f (i=330) designates the focal length of the entire ultraviolet imaging system with respect to a wavelength “i” of 330 nm;

r 1 designates the radius of curvature of the object-side surface of the most object-side lens element;

ν (ALL) designates the Abbe number of the glass material of all of said lens elements;

ν (i=330) (P) designates the reciprocal of the dispersion value, for said positive lens elements, with respect to the wavelength of 330 nm; and

ν (i=330) (N) designates the reciprocal of the dispersion value, for the negative lens elements, with respect to the wavelength of 330 nm.

2. The ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 1 , comprising a negative first lens element, a positive second lens element, a positive third lens element, a negative fourth lens element, a negative fifth lens element, a positive sixth lens element, a positive seventh lens element, and a negative eighth lens element, in this order from an object,

wherein said ultraviolet imaging system satisfies the following conditions:

−0.5 <f (i=330) /f 1-2 <0.1

0.2 <f (i=330) /f 3-4 <0.8

0.2 <f (i=330) /f 5-6 <0.8

−0.5 <f (i=330) /f 7-8 <0.1

wherein

f j-p designates the combined focal length of the j th lens element and the p th lens element with respect to the wavelength of 330 nm.

3. The ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 2 , further satisfying the following conditions:

0.1<1/ν 1-2(i=330) <1.0

|1/ν 3-4(i=330) |<0.1

|1/ν 5-6(i=330) |<0.1

0.1<1/ν 7-8(i=330) <1.0

wherein

1/ν j-p Σf j-p f k(i=330) ν k(i=330) ( k=j, p )

f k(i=330) designates the focal length of the k th lens element with respect to the wavelength of 330 nm; and

ν k(i=330) designates the reciprocal of the dispersion value of the k th lens element with respect to the wave length of 330 nm.

4. The ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 1 , wherein the most object-side lens element of said ultraviolet imaging system comprises a negative lens element; and

wherein said negative lens element satisfies the following condition:

65<ν 1 <80

wherein

ν 1 designates the Abbe number of said negative lens element: ν 1 =(n 1d −1)/(n 1F −n 1C );

n 1d designates the refractive index of the d-line;

n 1F designates the refractive index of the F-line; and

n 1C designates the refractive index of the C-line.

5. An ultraviolet imaging system comprises a negative first lens element, a positive second lens element, a positive third lens element, a negative fourth lens element, a negative fifth lens element, a positive sixth lens element, a positive seventh lens element, and a negative eighth lens element, in this order from an object,

wherein all said lens elements are made of one of quartz and fluorite; and

wherein said ultraviolet imaging system satisfies the above conditions:

−0.5 <f (i=330) /f 1-2 <0.1

0.2 <f (i=330) /f 3-4 <0.8

0.2 <f (i=330) /f 5-6 <0.8

−0.5 <f (i=330) /f 7-8 <0.1

wherein

f (i=330) designates the focal length of the entire ultraviolet imaging system with respect to a wavelength “i” of 330 nm;

f j-p designates the combined focal length of the j th lens element and the p th lens element with respect to the wavelength of 330 nm.

6. The ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 5 , further satisfying the following conditions:

0.1<1/ν 1-2(i=330) <1.0

|1/ν 3-4(i=330) |<0.1

|1/ν 5-6(i=330) |<0.1

0.1<1/ν 7-8(i=330) <1.0

wherein

1/ν j-p =Σf j-p /f k(i=330) ν k(i=330) ( k=j, p )

f k(i=330) designates the focal length of the k th lens element with respect to the wavelength of 330 nm; and

ν k(i=330) designates the reciprocal of the dispersion value of the k th lens element with respect to the wave length of 330 nm.

7. The ultraviolet imaging system according to claim 5 , satisfying the following condition:

65<ν 1 <80

wherein

ν 1 designates the Abbe number of the negative first lens element: ν 1 =(n 1d −1)/(n 1F −n 1C );

n 1d designates the refractive index of the d-line;

n 1F designates the refractive index of the F-line; and

n 1C designates the refractive index of the C-line.