Author: Kelvin Biggs, Managing Director

Sapphire Optical windows and plates are flat components which are placed in a range of devices and systems with the purpose of transmitting the specific wavelength of light required by the application in question

Optical prisms are designed and manufactured with the aim of steering, bending, dispersing and shifting light in order to manipulate images.

Optical lenses are designed and crafted with the aim of being able to focus or diverge light. Learn more about this product.

In this second part of our two articles on these widely used optical components, we look at substrate options and review a range of specific custom options.

In this first of our two articles on these widely used optical components, we look at the key properties of Optical Windows as well as their use in a huge range of scientific, medical, defence and industrial sectors and applications.

Custom optics are needed by scientific and industrial companies involved in the design and manufacturing of bespoke optical systems, equipment and instrumentation.

Optical filters are used by many manufacturers of scientific instruments, engineering, research and development and equipment around the world. All our optical filters can be supplied from a standard range stock, while custom sizes and specifications can be custom-made to your specific design.

Sapphire is an extremely hard crystal and the hardest oxide material, offering excellent structural properties and resistance to scratching. As an optical material, sapphire provides excellent thermal conductivity even at low temperatures.

Fused Silica is part of a family of optical materials (along with quartz and fused quartz) which share properties including a high working temperature, high melting temperature and low expansion coefficient.

Germanium (Ge) is a chemical element. It is a silvery-grey-white and highly brittle metalloid, with a diamond-like crystalline structure. Its chemical and physical properties make it very similar to silicon.