Acylindrical Lenses
Acylindrical Lenses are specialized optics that have a cylindrical shape and a non-constant radius of curvature. They focus light along one axis, producing a diffraction limited line. Acylindrical lenses are often referred to as the cylindrical counterpart to aspheric lenses, as acylinder lenses are to cylinder lenses what aspheric lenses are to spherical lenses. They can be either plano-concave or plano-convex, although plano-convex acylindrical lenses are more commonly used.
Benefits of Acylinder Lenses
An acylindrical lens is designed to be highly efficient and to deviate from a true cylinder in such a way as to minimize the optical aberrations in a given system. Using acylinder lenses in a system often provides the opportunity to reduce the number of optical components, thus decreasing the size and weight of an optical system. Acylinder lenses also provide ideal collimation and the sharpest possible line focus in many circumstances.
Applications of Acylindrical Lenses
At Avantier, we produce custom acylindrical lenses for a wide variety of applications including those in industry, research, medicine and defense.
These lenses are ideal for situations in which one needs to minimize aberrations and precisely control the shape of laser beams. They are used in many situations when a diffraction limited line image or collimated beam is required. They can also be used when in situations where magnification in one dimension is required, or for infinite conjugate configurations.
They can be used to create thin line profiles, or to reduce the spot size of a monochromatic light source and produce a sharp, thin line. Acylindrical lenses are often a good choice for use with lighting technology, laser scanners, optical metrology and spectroscopy. Two crossed acylinders can be used with the asymmetrical outputs of laser diodes to create a symmetrical circular beam.
Factory Standard
Diameter Tolerance |
+0/-0.1mm |
Thickness Tolerance |
+/-0.1mm |
Surface Quality |
60-40 S-D |
Power(Irregularity) |
3(0.5)fringes |
Centering Tolerance |
<3′ |
Clear Aperture |
90% |
Acylindrical Lenses at Avantier
Avantier is a premium producer of custom optical solutions and is fully equipped with state-of-the-art manufacturing equipment for producing acylindrical lenses, including diamond turning machines and CNC technology. We also have a wide range of substrates available in-house, including various grades of optical glass, Ge, Calcium Fluoride, and Zinc Selenide.
More than two decades of experience in North America working in optical design has given us a thorough understanding of best practices, and our engineers and designers work hard to stay at the forefront of their fields. A full line of metrology equipment allows us to test every optical component before it leaves our factory, ensuring it meets and exceeds all applicable standards.
There’s no reason to be satisfied with an optic that is almost good enough. At Avantier, we work with you to design and produce the ideal optical components and systems for your application. Whatever stage you are in the design process, we’re ready to come alongside you and help you come up with a solution that meets all your requirements. Contact us today to make a custom order or set up an introductory consult.
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