YAG-BBAR Coated Plano-Concave (PCV) Lenses

This comparison of the performance of aspheric, achromatic, and spherical PCX lenses in different situations reveals the ideal use cases for each type of lens.

Many lasers are assumed to have a Gaussian profile, and understanding Gaussian beam propagation is crucial for predicting real-world performance of lasers.

Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) denotes the maximum laser fluence an optical component can withstand with an acceptable amount of risk.

Do you want to know more about the importance of optical specifications? Learn the different types of specifications and their impact on your system at Edmund Optics.

Anti-reflection (AR) coatings are applied to optical components to increase throughput and reduce hazards caused by back-reflections.

Optical coatings are used to influence the transmission, reflection, or polarization properties of an optical component.

Are standard beam expanders not meeting your application requirements? Learn how to design your own beam expander using stock optics at Edmund Optics.

Increasing the diameter of optical components reduces power or energy density in a system, reducing the likelihood of laser-induced damage in high-power...

Free-space optical (FSO) communications transmit information wirelessly through the air using lasers with improved bandwidth. Learn more!

Join Andrew Fisher, Manufacturing R&D Engineer at Edmund Optics, as he discusses some tips for modifying stock optical components to fit your application's needs.

Edmund Optics® (EO) manufactures millions of precision optical components and subassemblies every year in our 5 global manufacturing facilities.

Learn about the metrology that Edmund Optics® uses to guarantee the quality of all optical components and assemblies.

Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of optics is a statistical value influenced by defect density, the testing method, and fluctuations in the laser.

The surface quality of optical components the scattering off of its surface, which is especially important in laser optics applications.

Traditional spherical lenses are evolving due to the increasing demands of applications. Learn about the future of spherical lenses at Edmund Optics.

Not all optical components are tested for laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) and testing methods differ, resulting in different types of LIDT specifications.

Learn the key parameters that must be considered to ensure you laser application is successful. Common terminology will be established for these parameters.

Testing laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) is not standardized, so understanding how your optics were tested is critical for predicting performance.

Metrology is critical for ensuring that optical components consistently meet their desired specifications, especially in laser applications.

Understanding the polarization of laser light is critical for many applications, as polarization impacts reflectance, focusing the beam, and other key behaviors.

The Laser Optics Lab video series discusses laser optics concepts including specifications, coating technologies, product types, and more

The Laser Optics Lab video series discusses laser optics concepts including specifications, coating technologies, product types, and more

Back reflections are created when some or part of your beam are reflected back to the source.

Optical coatings are composed of thin-film layers used to enhance transmission or reflection properties within an optical system.

When determining which laser to use for your application, consider the following specifications: wavelength, coherence length, beam divergence, and Rayleigh range.

Join our discussion around laser damage testing in the third episode of our LIGHT TALKS series.

Learn about trends in laser applications including increasing powers and decreasing pulse durations in this conversation with Kasia Sieluzycka and Nick Smith.

From tattoo removal to diagnosing cancer, lasers can transform our lives in countless ways. Join our conversation about laser in skin care and diagnostics.

Learn more about the advantages of using beam expanders in laser optics applications, with examples on spot size and beam size, at Edmund Optics.

Sliding focusing mechanisms for laser beam expanders cause less beam wander than rotating focusing mechanisms, but they use more complex mechanics and are typically more expensive.

Surprisingly, intentionally clipping a laser beam going through a higher magnification beam expander can be the optimal solution.

The TECHSPEC® Vega™ Laser Line Beam Expanders from Edmund Optics® are divergence adjustable to compensate for input beam divergence.

An understanding of refraction and basic ray optics is a critical foundation for understanding more complicated optical concepts and technologies.

Have a question about Edge-Blackening? Find more information on stray light, measuring BRDF, and more at Edmund Optics.

Do you use ray tracing on a regular basis? Learn more about the calculations aspect, along with steps and software at Edmund Optics.

Looking for application examples? Find examples for Detector Systems, Selecting the Right Lens, and Building a Projection System at Edmund Optics.

Optical lens geometries control light in different ways. Learn about Snell's Law of Refraction, lens terminology and geometries at Edmund Optics.

Optical lenses require very precise tolerances. Learn more about tolerances for spherical lenses at Edmund Optics.

Are you looking for ways to make cost effective optical designs? Find more information on selecting specifications and using tolerancing schemes at Edmund Optics.

Learn how to assemble, align, and use a Mach-Zehnder Interferometer completely out of off-the-shelf products from Edmund Optics in this detailed guide.

Free-space optical (FSO) communications wirelessly transmit data through the air using lasers. FSO promises to revolutionize broadband internet access.

Quickly Respond to Collapsing Product Lifecycles

Polarization Directed Flat Lenses, which are formed with polymerized liquid crystal thin-film, create a focal length that is dependent on polarization state.

Beam expanders can be used in reverse to decrease a laser beam's diameter, but divergence will be increased.

Not sure which beam expander will work best in your application? Check out EO's Beam Expander Selection Guide to easily compare each type at Edmund Optics.

Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors are used to test the transmitted wavefront error of laser beam expanders, predicting the real-world performance of the beam expander.

Laser beam expanders are critical for reducing power density, minimizing beam diameter at a distance, and minimizing focused laser spot size.

Laser beam expanders consist of transmissive configurations, with Galilean or Keplerian designs, and reflective configurations, which use a series of mirrors, similar to microscope designs.

Meniscus lenses offer superior performance compared to plano convex lenses in IR applications. Find out the benefits of using a meniscus lens at Edmund Optics.

Join Andrew Fisher, Manufacturing R&D Engineer at Edmund Optics, as he discusses some tips for modifying stock optical components to fit your application's needs.

Understanding the most commonly used laser optics materials will allow for easy navigation of EO’s wide selection of laser optics components.

The diameter of a laser highly affects an optic’s laser induced damage (LIDT) as beam diameter directly impacts the probability of laser damage.

Choosing the right optical glass is important. Find out factors and properties on how to select the right optical glass at Edmund Optics.

Need help understanding aberration theory? Learn about a few fundamental concepts to help clarify your understanding at Edmund Optics.

The diffraction pattern caused when light passes through an aperture is called the Airy Disk. Find out how the Airy Disk can impact your image at Edmund Optics.

Overspecifying optical losses in laser systems will not further improve your performance or reliability, but it could cost you additional money and/or time.

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy uses a 2D laser sheet to illuminate a thin slice of the sample and excite fluorescence, reducing phototoxicity and damage.

When doing basic imaging, how do you determine the magnification an optical lens will provide?

Collimated light occurs when light rays travel parallel to each other.

Although a common misconception, individual optical lenses do not always form an image when the object plane is placed a focal length away from the lens.

Are you looking to use integration in your next system? Find out more about integrating in both imaging and non-imaging applications at Edmund Optics.

Edmund Optics is a global stock and custom optics manufacturing company with in house optical designers and on-site metrology and environmental testing.