This application note provides information on the benefits of SWIR imaging in harsh or low-light level conditions, and PG&O's capabilities in manufacturing optical components for SWIR imaging.
Raman spectroscopy plays a huge part in the analysis of materials such as explosives in the field, pharmaceutical ingredients in the lab, and changes in genetic material, proteins, and lipids in clinical settings. Utilizing non-elastic scattering of laser light from a molecule to probe the molecular structure and create a vibrational transition in the sample, a molecular fingerprint is gradually built up. There are multiple wavelength analysis selections that can be used for a wide variety of applications. This application note discusses the benefits of using each wavelength, and presents different applications they are used for.
Micro-lens arrays are monolithic components manufactured from synthetic fused silica and a laser writing process, which are created for high accuracy array collimation and coupling. PowerPhotonic designs and develops these micro-lens arrays for applications involving coupling between laser sources, fiber and waveguide arrays, optical multiplexing, and optical switching. This application note discusses micro-lens arrays, as well as the technologies they are used in such as wavelength selective switching, WSS technology, and MEMS and LCoS switches.
The optical quality of aspheric mirrors is commonly specified by their surface accuracy and reflected wavefront error. The surface error is the deviation of the surface from its perfect form, while the wavefront error is the deviation of the resulting reflected or transmitted wavefront from its perfect shape. It is often assumed that these tolerances are related to each other by a simple scale factor. However, that is not the case when it comes to aspheric mirrors. This application note compares surface accuracy measurements with wavefront error measurements, and provides an application example on using them in off-axis parabolas.
A new demand that has been placed on glass optical fibers is the need for environmental compatibility. The SCHOTT technology group provides a solution for this demand with their new PURAVIS® glass optical fibers that offer several improved performance parameters compared to other types of glass. The process for manufacturing these products does not use lead, arsenic, or antimony, and already complies with future environmental requirements.
Sensors Unlimited presents the series of superior image quality MicroOLED microdisplays for near-to-eye applications that require high image quality, high definition, high brightness, wide field of view, and optimized power consumption. The MDP01, MDP02, and MDP03 microdisplays are designed on MicroOLED proprietary low voltage technology, and can easily outperform the competition in picture quality, low power consumption, and compactness.
Abrisa Technologies now offers the innovative High Ion-Exchange (HIE™) Asahi Glass Corporation (AGC) Dragontrail™ aluminosilicate glass for cover glass, display, sensor, and scanner technologies. Dragontrail supports low profile, reduced weight, portable field, and industrial devices with a toughness of 6x that of soda lime float. It is designed to enhance the usable lifetime of high contact touch displays, and industrial image sensors, document scanners, and on board vehicular and avionics displays.
OptoSigma provides MHK C-shaped stainless steel mirror holders designed for 12.7 mm dichroic mirrors and beamsplitters. The holders feature high-resolution adjustment, and a knob-less design that is suitable for system integration.
Diffractive optical elements (DOEs) from LASER COMPONENTS are designed to be used as multi-spot beam splitters in beam shaping, and beam profile modifications with lasers and high power lasers. Using diffractive elements for beam splitting is advantageous in the instance of needing one element to produce several beams, or when very exact power separation is required. DOEs can also achieve precise positioning to create holes at clearly defined and accurate distances.
The ColdVision series from SCHOTT Lighting and Imaging is composed of an extensive array of light sources, fiber optic guides, and accessories designed to work seamlessly with each other for illumination purposes in machine vision and microscopy applications. This series delivers flexibility and versatility via LED, halogen, and xenon light sources and accessories for custom and standard solutions.
OptoSigma’s MHL high rigidity mirror holder is kinematic with a featured blade spring. The holder’s high rigidity makes the device capable of suppressing the positional shift from shocks or vibrations.
LASER COMPONENTS designs and manufactures dielectric coatings for a wide range of laser optics applications. The laser optics provided by LASER COMPONENTS are mostly OEM products that meet the individual customer's specifications; the products include substrates and dielectric coatings.
Optics Blazers manufactures Near-Eye Display combiners and other components for optimized display performance and see-through properties. With an integrated manufacturing chain, this company can deliver single reflective surface, multiple reflective surface, free-form, or diffractive combiners. Optics Blazers’ solutions are developed with cost and scalability in mind to serve the competitive consumer electronics market.
Qioptiq, an Excelitas Technologies® Company, recently introduces the new 1.73x Tube Lens as a widely desired addition to the mag.x system 125. Representing a new class of optical systems that enable microscope-like resolution with wide fields-of-view to support modern high-resolution sensors, the 1.73x Tube Lens makes the mag.x system 125 a perfect match for sensors with the 35 mm camera format.
Qioptiq, an Excelitas Technologies® Company, recently introduced the Fetura+™ Advanced Zoom Lens enabling high speed and reliable optical performance for the machine vision and inspection markets. Fetura+ features a unique linear rail design coupled with precision optics to enable it to travel through the 12.5:1 zoom range in less than one second. Due to this unique design, Fetura+ offers a service life in excess of one million cycles and delivers exacting repeatability in any orientation.
Invenios LLC, an advanced technology micro-fabrication foundry specializing in glass structuring, micro glass packaging and glass bonding is a world leader in providing consumables and devices for gene sequencing, bio-medical, sensor, electronic and optical applications announced recently that it has successfully completed the acquisition of Varioptic, previously a Business Unit of Parrot Drones SAS for an undisclosed amount.
LASER COMPONENTS developed a new coating process for so-called triple mirrors that makes it possible to apply this complex layer design in one pass. Coatings for three wavelengths used to have to be manufactured in two passes. The new method not only results in higher specifications, but it also has the additional advantage of a shorter duration of production.
ZC&R Coatings for Optics (ZC&R), a division of Abrisa Technologies, now offers high throughput efficiency Wide Angle, Broad Spectrum Sensor and Laser Scanning Window solutions for the visible 425-675nm (VIS), visible to near infra-red 425-1050nm (VIS-NIR), short wave infrared 700-1800nm (SWIR) and popular laser and LED wavelengths from 405 to 1550nm. Designed for image sensors and scanners these optics are used in industrial 3D metrology, machine vision, automotive obstacle avoidance, security and surveillance, document scanners, 3D scanning, gesture recognition and other digital imaging applications.
Optics
Optics is an interesting subset of physics. It is the study of light and how it can be used in various industries from measurements to biology as well as photography to navigation. Optics is a fascinating field and we are just beginning to scratch the surface with what we know. One of the most interesting developments in optics is the use of fiber optics in the transmission of data. Light is used to transmit data across long distances and this has proved to be efficient as well as inexpensive.
Light is the fasted trailing particle in the universe and it is radiated from one point to the next in the form of waves. Light in a vacuum can travel at an astonishing 300 million meters per second, a speed that would take it to the moon in just about one second. Optics is primarily concerned with the use of light and how the light can be reflected, refracted, bent or manipulated in just about any way. The unique nature of light gives tremendous benefits in using it in various industries. Optics is no one of the ways where light can be used to store data. It seems that anything electrons have done in the past, light waves are able to do, just able to do it faster. In the beginning copper cables were used to transmit electrical pulses in network data transfer. While at that time it was a breakthrough, it was comparatively slow to the movement of light through fiber optics. Once fiber optics replaced, broad band speeds were achieved. All thanks to optics. The uses of optics can advance further with headway being made in fields of defense as well as medicine. Optics are now being used to return sight to the blind as well as create sight for robots.
