Spherical lenses are transparent optical components consisting of one or more pieces of optical glass with surfaces curved to converge or diverge the transmitted rays from an object, thus forming a real or virtual image of that object.

Different lens types available are single lenses, cylindrical lenses and achromatic lenses.

Lenses are available in BK7, fused silica, sapphire and CaF₂.

Custom-designed service available to design and build systems to your own requirements.

Lenses

Materials

Illustration

Property and Application

Plano-Convex

BK7 Fused Silica Sapphire CaF₂

Positive focus length. Most suitable where one conjugate is more than five times the other, e.g. in sensor application or for use with near collimated light. Also where both conjugates are on the same side of the lens, e.g. as an add-on lens to increase the numerical aperture.

Double-Convex

BK7 Fused Silica

Most suitable where the conjugates are on opposite sides of the lenses and the ratio of the distances is less than 5:1, e.g. as simple image relay components.

Plano-Concave

BK7 Fused Silica Sapphire CaF₂

Negative lens with the form most suitable where one conjugates is more than five times the other, e.g. producing divergent light from a collimated input beam.

Double-Concave

BK7 Fused Silica

Negative lens with the form most suited to producing diverging light or a virtual image, where the input light is converging.

Meniscus

BK7 Positive

These lenses may be used to increase the numerical aperture of a positive lens assembly, without an undue increase in the aberrations.

BK7 Negative

The best lens form where one conjugates is relatively far from the lens or where both conjugates are the same size of the lens.

Cylindrical

BK7 Fused Silica

Used to provide focusing power in one section only. For illumination or detection of light from line sources. Also used to anamorphic compression of beams and images.

Achromatic

Combinations of Two Optical Grade Glasses

These lenses have considerably reduced values of spherical aberration. Coma and chromatic aberration. Best used to replace single components where performance must be improved.

Ring Mount for Lenses

Black Anodized Aluminum

Used to fix position of lenses.