Optical and mechanical design advantages using polymer optics

Valentina Doushkina; Erik Fleming

doi:10.1117/12.832319

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10 September 2009 Optical and mechanical design advantages using polymer optics

Valentina Doushkina, Erik Fleming

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Proceedings Volume 7424, Advances in Optomechanics; 74240Q (2009) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.832319
Event: SPIE Optical Engineering + Applications, 2009, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Precision diamond-turned or molded polymer optics are utilized in a wide range of commercial markets and applications including; medical disposables, bar code scan/recognition, security and fingerprint scanners, motion and presence sensors, CCD cameras, laser collimation and others.. The use of polymer optics was previously relegated to less technically challenging applications. Current advancements in polymer technology and injection molding capabilities have increased the manufacturability and precision of polymer optics. Polymer materials with optical properties are being thrust to the design forefront for new, sophisticated electro-optical applications. Designing and manufacturing optics and optical systems using polymers alone or hybrid polymer/glass applications provides complete custom capability and offers new optical and opto-mechanical solutions for a variety of optical and opto-mechanical modules, assemblies and components. Integrated mounting offers configuration flexibility, considerable design freedom, simplified optical alignment, mechanical design, assembly and packaging. The system is assembled, aligned, optically spaced, and sealed in a single manufacturing step.

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Valentina Doushkina and Erik Fleming "Optical and mechanical design advantages using polymer optics", Proc. SPIE 7424, Advances in Optomechanics, 74240Q (10 September 2009); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.832319

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