MONTREAL, 7 April 2007. IRphotonics, a supplier of mid-infrared materials in Montreal, has completed molding tests of its proprietary fluoride glass with optical industry leaders.
The test results confirmed that IRphotonics's UVIR amorphous glass can be molded into optical components that include aspherical lenses, company officials say.
IRphotonics's UVIR glass exhibits a broad transmission window ranging from UV to 8 microns that makes it a suitable material for defense and commercial applications (related story) that include thermal imaging and spectroscopy.
The low refractive index of the UVIR glass combined with its exceptional transmission characteristics provides over 91 percent transmission from 350 nanometers to 5 microns and more than 80 percent transmission from 220 nanometers to 6.2 microns (3.6 mm thick window).
The UVIR fluoride glass (related applications) also exhibits unique physical characteristics that include a negative dn/dT (decrease of refractive index with rising temperature) and a thermal expansion coefficient that closely matches that of aluminum and stainless steel, company officials say.
The UVIR glass amorphability proves useful for making large optical pieces. Moreover, different dopants can be incorporated in the UVIR glass to turn it into a broadband optical filter.
For more information contact IRphotonics online at www.irphotonics.com.
