Cylindrical Optics

IRD Glass specializes in the manufacture of custom cylindrical lenses, both convex and concave. All our cylindrical optics are available in numerous substrate materials with optical coatings like high laser damage threshold or anti-reflection coatings that optimize performance throughout the UV visible and IR spectrums. Cylindrical lenses often must be custom-matched to the application, and our cell-based manufacturing process is ideally suited to produce and deliver your cylindrical lens in less time than competitors, while still offering competitive pricing. Because cylinder optics affect light in one axis rather than both, precise geometry, coating selection, and alignment requirements are essential to achieving the intended optical result. IRD Glass works with OEMs and technical teams to manufacture cylindrical lens optics that support controlled beam shaping, line generation, image correction, and other demanding optical functions. 

We use custom centering equipment to locate the center of curvature and custom ripple-checking equipment to ensure form and flatness of curves. Our machining, polishing, and grinding capabilities produce radii less than 2mm to those greater than 125mm. 

Cylindrical Optics

Plano convex Lenses
Plano-convex Lenses

Plano-Convex lenses are a specialty of IRD Glass. Sizes from micro-optic size to 6” diameter are regularly manufactured with tolerances of ± .0002”. Using proprietary lapping and polishing techniques, IRD can fabricate a wide array of convex cylindrical lenses. Plano-convex lenses are useful for illumination in line and slit detector arrays, laser projection, laser line focusing, and anamorphic beam shaping. These lenses are especially valuable when a system needs to focus or expand light along a single axis without altering the opposite axis in the same way. 

 

 

 

rod lenses
Rod Lenses

Rod lenses are another specialty of IRD Glass. diameters from .070 inches to .650 inches and up are regularly manufactured with tolerances of ± .001 inches. Using proprietary lapping and polishing techniques, IRD can fabricate a wide array of convex cylindrical rod lenses. Their compact form makes rod lenses useful in assemblies where space, repeatability, and efficient light control all matter.

Plano concave Lenses
Plano-concave Lenses

Plano-concave lenses expand light in one dimension only and are used for one-dimensional compression of images, laser line generation, and anamorphic beam shaping. Optical coatings are available for maximum performance in the Ultraviolet (UV), Visible, or Infrared (IR) spectrums. For laser, imaging, and projection systems, this one-axis expansion can help support precise optical layouts where standard spherical lenses are not the right fit.

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