#beam expanders

[toweroptical]

Our Beam Expander—BeamEx1000—is a low cost, high-quality, and user-friendly alternative that offers greater precision than ever before! Request a quote today.

[toweroptical]

Our Beam Expander—BeamEx1000—is a low cost, high-quality, and user-friendly alternative that offers greater precision than ever before! Request a quote today.

[toweroptical]

Things to Consider When Ordering Optical Flats

Optical flats, also known as “test flats”, “test plates” or “reference flats” are precisely polished surfaces that are used to measure the flatness (surface accuracy) of an unknown surface. They do so by using the property of interference.

When optical flats are placed on a test surface, an air wedge forms where the two surfaces don’t touch. The thickness of the air wedge is analyzed to find out the shape and direction of the interference bands, which helps in determining the flatness of the test surface.

When viewed under monochromatic light, the two surfaces show light and dark bands, called interference fringes. If these interference fringes are parallel and straight, the test surface will be said to have more than or equal flatness compared to the reference surface. Conversely, an uneven interference pattern shows that the test surface’s flatness is lesser than that of the reference flat.

Common flat optical components used in the IR, UV and visible spectrums are:

· Filters

· Wedges

· Mirrors

· windows

· Waveplates

· Encoder disks

· Debris shields

· Reference surfaces

· Light pipes

· Gratings

Factors to Consider

Here are some factors you need to consider when ordering optical flats:

Optical Material

Homogeneity, bubbles, and stress birefringence are some of the most important factors since they affect product performance, quality, and pricing.

For instance, an optician’s ability to achieve the desired transmitted wavefront specification goes down as the product’s homogeneity decreases. Similarly, stress birefringence impacts the mechanical stability of the test surface. Bubbles, on the other hand, can affect the product’s cosmetics during the polishing and grinding stages.

Best optical materials for single and dual surface flat optics are BK7 and fused silica. While other materials can also be used, they require special processing techniques and careful handling as they might be sensitive to humidity or temperature.

Wedged or Parallel

Components like plate beam splitters, filters, windows, and wafers typically need to be of high parallelism, whereas wedges and prisms may be intentionally wedged.

Factors like polishing and grinding play a crucial role in achieving the desired parallelism specifications. Double-sided polishing and grinding are one of the best methods to achieve exceptional parallelism (i.e. <1 arc second). Manufacturers measure parallelism using an interferometer.

Conversely, prisms and wedges are processed using pitch polishers to achieve the required angled surfaces.

Dimensions

Although optical flats are of various shapes, round optics are the best in achieving desired specifications uniformly and quickly.

If you need to customize optical flats, get in touch with Tower Optical; they’re a leader in customizing high-quality precision optics with over 20 years of experience in the industry.

They also offer a variety of products, including optical filters, optical flats, beam expanders, laser mirrors, and more than 10,000 waveplates.

Send in your drawing and specifications and they’ll reach out to you with a quotation!

[toweroptical]

An Introduction to Optical Lenses

Optical lenses are transparent optical components used to diverge or converge light emitted from peripheral objects. The transmitted rays of light then form a virtual or real image of the object.

Optical lenses are used in a wide range of applications ranging from laser processing and edge photonics technology to microscopy, optical imaging and optical computing. In fact, industries like life sciences, industrial, astronomy and defense use optical lenses for a variety of purposes.

Lenses are great examples of transmissive optical components, which means that they transmit or pass light. Filters, flats, prisms, windows, waveplates, and beamsplitters are other examples of transmissive components.

Conversely, retroflectors and optical mirrors are reflective components that reflect light instead of transmitting it.

Uses of optical lenses

· Correcting optical aberrations

· Image projection

· Image focusing

· Magnification

Classification

Optical lenses are typically classified into the following types:

Converging (or positive) lenses

Converging lenses cause the beam of light to converge on a spot behind the lens (between “near” and infinity). Plano-convex and biconvex lenses are considered positive.

Diverging (or negative) lenses

Diverging lenses cause the beam of light to spread or converge behind the lens. Plano-concave and biconcave—the two types of concave lenses—are negative.

Meniscus (convex-concave) lenses

These lenses can either be negative or positive depending on the curvature of the lens.

For instance, if a meniscus lens has a steep concave surface, it’s considered negative, while a steep convex surface indicates a positive lens.

A meniscus lens that has equal curvature on both sides will neither diverge nor converge light.

Selecting the Correct Optical Lens

Choosing for the correct lens type depends heavily on the intended application. In cases where you need to minimize optical distortion or aberration, choosing the right lens shape is of utmost importance.

Achromatic lenses, for instance, are designed for applications that require color correction since they bring two wavelengths (typically blue and red) into focus on the same plane.

Similarly, aspheric lenses are used in correcting spherical aberrations since they minimize eye distortion without compromising optical quality.

Moreover, Silicon (Si), Zinc Selenide (ZnSe) or Germanium (Ge) lenses are ideal for applications that require transmitting the Infrared spectrum. Fused Silica, on the other hand, is suited for the Ultraviolet spectrum.

If you’re looking for customized high-quality precision optics, head over to Tower Optical. Their use of state-of-the-art technology, custom-building capabilities, and unparalleled quality has positioned them as a leader in the industry.

They offer a multitude of products, including optical filters, optical flats, beam expanders, laser mirrors and more than 10,000 waveplates. They even specialize in build-to-print cost-effective precision optics.

Get in touch with Tower Optical today for a free quotation!

[toweroptical]

A Comprehensive Guide to Waveplates at any Wavelength

When beams of light interact with the molecular build-up of a material, the interaction is dependent on wavelength. Each material has an optical property—birefringence—which refers to its refractive index and the resulting polarization direction of a light source.

Waveplates also known as Retarder plates manipulate the state of polarization for the light beams passing through them. These capabilities help skilled professionals in various industries with numerous applications. With waveplates at varying wavelengths, this optical product is used in the aerospace, astronomy, biomedical, telecommunication, and a variety of Photonics related industries.

Whether you purchase standard waveplates from a standard stock or get them custom-built, you can offer waveplates at any wavelength between 237 nm to 2021 nm.

Greater precision

Depending on the nature of your application’s needs, selecting waveplates with the right wavelength is essential to meet your requirements. Choosing a waveplate that allows you to optimize your outputs and reduce the attenuation will help you achieve the desired results.

Since waveplates are used in industrial applications that require accuracy, the ability to select one at any wavelength is beneficial for you.

Diverse applications

There are various factors that determine the optimum use of waveplate applications. Variations in wavelengths between applications require the selection of the ideal waveplate (retarder).

Achromatic waveplates—both cemented and air-spaced—are perfect for situations where several spectral wavelengths are covered. Additionally, zero-order waveplates remain constant over wavelength variations and offer greater stability in various applications. Conversely, the retardation of multiple order Waveplates are affected by temperature and will change substantially over varying wavelengths.

Make the right choice

Selecting the best waveplates for your application is the first step to optimizing your processes. If standard waveplates don’t meet your specific needs, you can get custom built-to-order waveplates at any wavelength.

Industry experts who are experienced in the field of precision optics recommend, Tower Optical as the manufacturer of choice for most applications. With over 10,000 waveplates in stock,  Tower provides waveplates with standard wavelengths ranging from 237 nm to 2021 nm.

Aside from the standard retarders, Tower Optical offers custom optical solutions. Their range of zero-order, multiple order, achromatic and dual-wavelength waveplates can be manufactured with your design specifications in mind. High-quality, unparalleled performance, and cost-effective—Tower Optical’s wide range of wavelengths suit a variety of industry applications.

Tower Optical also manufactures custom and in-stock prisms, micro prisms, beam expanders, optical flats, laser mirrors and laser windows.

Want to get started? Send in your specifications to Tower Optical’s experts at www.Tower Optical.com or 561 740-2525 and they’ll provide a quotation!

[toweroptical]

Micro Prisms and Their Applications

Optical prisms play a vital role in redirecting, displacing, and deflecting a beam of light. Micro prisms are relatively smaller, polished shapes made of premium quality BK-7 optical glass.

Depending on the angle of the prism, it can be used for various industrial applications to rotate images of fold optical systems. Owing to its uses, a micro prism can either revert or invert an image.

Micro prisms are most often available in nine sizes; these range from 0.5mm, 0.7mm, 1.0mm, 1.5mm, 2.0mm, 2.5mm, 3.0mm, 4.0mm, and 5.0mm.

The applications

Micro prisms are available in two forms: coated and uncoated. These have varied uses in several industrial applications. Most notably, micro prisms, and prisms in general, are used to break up light into splitting up light into its elemental colors or reflecting it.

Fiber optics can utilize micro prisms to direct light beams between optical channels. These right angle prisms, with angles 45°-90°-45°, deflect light beams either 90° or 180°. They’re most often used in fiber optical communication applications and optical switches.

Why work with micro prisms?

Although micro prisms are small, they offer a range of benefits for various industrial applications. Optics projects can benefit from the refraction and propelling of light beams.

Micro prisms are heavily used in microscopes, telescopes, pattern recognition, lenses, beam steering, and laser diodes.

Precision

Carefully engineered micro prisms offer precise deviation in various applications. The purpose of the prism is to redirect and refract light beams. It offers greater precision as compared to mirrors or other components, offering uninterrupted diversion of light beams to another destination.

Optimal size

Although they are small in size, micro prisms offer higher accuracy. The size is optimal for directing light beams with precision. The micro prism’s size makes it efficient and compact for use in several different uses.

Varied uses

Micro prisms are most often of two types—coated and uncoated—and each one offers its own uses. Coated prisms are usually used as mirror reflectors for incoming light beams. Conversely, uncoated micro prisms are used as mirrors for normal light incidence.

The properties of the micro prism allow for a number of applications in several industries.

If you’re looking for premium quality precision optics, Tower Optical is the manufacturer of choice for you. As full-service manufacturers of precision optics, the company specializes in stock and build to print precision optics including micro prisms, beam expanders, beam splitters, laser windows, and optical filters, among others.

To receive a custom quotation, contact them by visiting their website.