Image rotation about the axis of view via skew lenses and special relativity

Abstract We propose a configuration of skew ideal lenses that provide a stigmatic image of the scene with a magnification +1, rotated around an axis of view. The design of the proposed skew-lens system is inspired by the theory of special relativity, namely the Wigner rotation, when noncollinear Lorentz transformations are combined. The angle of image rotation φ can be set arbitrarily within a range ( − π , π ) except for ϕ = ± π / 2 . Provided that an experimental realization is achievable, the Wigner rotator introduced here, may serve as a foundation for biomedical applications, for example, in the treatment of cyclotropia. Our work reveals previously unappreciated imaging properties of skew-lens combinations and aims to escalate the research in fabrication of metalenses as the closest real-life realizations of ideal thin lenses.