The "O lens" is a thing of the past, and D quality (diffraction limited) is here to stay. This simple phrase sums up the major innovation among FAC lenses, which LIMO has once again optimized. Users can now obtain the best standard lens quality offered anywhere on the market - without paying an increased price.
"Never change a winning team." The famous quote by former London soccer star Sir Alfred Ernest Ramsey applies to more than just athletes. Dortmund-based LIMO Lissotschenko Mikrooptik GmbH also subscribes to the strategy of continuity on its winning optics team. A huge part of the group's continued success is its fast-axis collimators (FAC), which were introduced 20 years ago. A key component in high-performance systems, the fast-axis collimators provide high-quality, effective collimation of the fast axis of laser diodes thanks to their high numerical aperture (measure of the ability to concentrate a ray of light).
"The secret to success is our extremely high and steadily consistent level of quality, which is the result of wafer-based production methods with excellent process reliability," says Dr. Oliver Homburg, Director, Advanced Optical Solutions at LIMO. "We only use high-grade glass in manufacturing our lenses and their acylindrical surfaces. High transmittance and solid collimation properties guarantee superior beam shaping efficiency for diode lasers."
As a result of its continuing quest for improvement, LIMO recently began focusing solely on the production of D lenses while also further enhancing the performance of the lenses over their earlier models.
"This improvement represents significant progress in terms of quality, as it results in a marked reduction of residual divergence by 25% to 45%, depending on the lens," Dr. Homburg explains. "This is the best standard lens quality currently available on the market." Effective immediately, customers can order D-quality FAC lenses from LIMO with standard coatings for a wide range of wavelengths from 600 to 1600 nm. Thanks to an extremely cost-effective manufacturing process that uses wafer sizes up to 350 x 350 mm², the Dortmund-based optics and laser specialist is able to offer the lenses with D quality, without raising the price.
In addition, LIMO has increased its standard FAC portfolio to 11 microoptics with focal lengths from 0.16 to 1.5 mm (previous lineup: five FAC lenses with focal lengths from 0.29 to 1.5 mm) and significantly improved residual divergences from ±0.45 to ± 3.6 mrad. For the micro-optics with smallest focal lengths, LIMO provides integrated monolithic support surfaces so that users can also easily install lenses with short focal lengths. Those interested in learning more about these new developments can obtain additional details at the Photonics West trade show in San Francisco, CA, USA (February 10 12, 2015, South Hall, Booth #2405).
"Never change a winning team." The famous quote by former London soccer star Sir Alfred Ernest Ramsey applies to more than just athletes. Dortmund-based LIMO Lissotschenko Mikrooptik GmbH also subscribes to the strategy of continuity on its winning optics team. A huge part of the group's continued success is its fast-axis collimators (FAC), which were introduced 20 years ago. A key component in high-performance systems, the fast-axis collimators provide high-quality, effective collimation of the fast axis of laser diodes thanks to their high numerical aperture (measure of the ability to concentrate a ray of light).
"The secret to success is our extremely high and steadily consistent level of quality, which is the result of wafer-based production methods with excellent process reliability," says Dr. Oliver Homburg, Director, Advanced Optical Solutions at LIMO. "We only use high-grade glass in manufacturing our lenses and their acylindrical surfaces. High transmittance and solid collimation properties guarantee superior beam shaping efficiency for diode lasers."
As a result of its continuing quest for improvement, LIMO recently began focusing solely on the production of D lenses while also further enhancing the performance of the lenses over their earlier models.
"This improvement represents significant progress in terms of quality, as it results in a marked reduction of residual divergence by 25% to 45%, depending on the lens," Dr. Homburg explains. "This is the best standard lens quality currently available on the market." Effective immediately, customers can order D-quality FAC lenses from LIMO with standard coatings for a wide range of wavelengths from 600 to 1600 nm. Thanks to an extremely cost-effective manufacturing process that uses wafer sizes up to 350 x 350 mm², the Dortmund-based optics and laser specialist is able to offer the lenses with D quality, without raising the price.
In addition, LIMO has increased its standard FAC portfolio to 11 microoptics with focal lengths from 0.16 to 1.5 mm (previous lineup: five FAC lenses with focal lengths from 0.29 to 1.5 mm) and significantly improved residual divergences from ±0.45 to ± 3.6 mrad. For the micro-optics with smallest focal lengths, LIMO provides integrated monolithic support surfaces so that users can also easily install lenses with short focal lengths. Those interested in learning more about these new developments can obtain additional details at the Photonics West trade show in San Francisco, CA, USA (February 10 12, 2015, South Hall, Booth #2405).
