The Benefits of Color-Corrected Optical Lenses
Minimizing the number of lenses in an optical assembly is a critical design consideration. Selecting single optical lenses that can simultaneously reduce multiple aberrations is an ideal way to achieve this goal. Color-corrected aspheric lenses, for instance, reduce both spherical and chromatic aberration, making them ideal for a range of applications where precision results and image quality are key.
Chromatic aberration occurs in conventional optical lenses when different wavelengths of light focus at different points along the optical axis, and is typically eliminated by introducing multiple lenses, fabricated from glasses with different indices of refraction, into an optical assembly. However, by eliminating chromatic aberration with color-corrected aspheric lenses, an imaging system with fewer lenses can be designed. Reducing the element count not only minimizes the size and weight of the assembly, but it also simplifies the assembly process, yielding imaging lenses that ultimately cost less and outperform assemblies made of traditional spherical optical components. For more in-depth information on chromatic aberration, please read Chromatic and Monochromatic Optical Aberrations.
Optical designers use a variety of tools to recognize, and try to correct for, aberrations. These tools often include computer generated spot diagrams and chromatic focal shift comparisons. Spot diagrams represent an estimation of the smallest spot size an optical lens can focus to. Chromatic focal shift displays the focal length of an optical lens over different wavelengths. A smaller spot size and lower degree of chromatic focal shift are the superior options. See the benefits of color-corrected optical lenses by comparing spot diagrams and chromatic focal shift graphs of TECHSPEC hybrid aspheric lenses, TECHSPEC aspheric lenses, and TECHSPEC achromatic lenses.
Select Lenses to Compare:
- Hybrid Germanium Aspheric Lens vs. Germanium Aspheric Lens
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Germanium Infrared (IR) Hybrid Aspheric Lens
- Designed for use in the 3 – 5μm infrared (IR) region
- Near diffraction limited performance
- Over 95% transmission
- Ideal for use with polychromatic light sources
Germanium Infrared (IR) Aspheric Lens- Designed for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) and long-wave infrared (LWIR) regions
- Diffraction limited performance
- AR coated lenses offer over 95% transmission
- Ideal for use with monochromatic light sources
Figure 1a: Spot Diagram for #68-262 25mm Dia. x 25mm FL Hybrid Ge Aspheric Lens
Figure 1b: Spot Diagram for #68-238 25mm Dia. x 25mm FL Ge Aspheric Lens
- Plastic Hybrid Aspheric Lens vs. Standard Plastic Aspheric Lens
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Plastic Hybrid Aspheric Lens
- Color corrected
- Available uncoated or with VIS AR coating
- Lightweight design
- High numerical aperture
- Ideal for use with polychromatic light sources
Plastic Aspheric Lens- Low autofluorescence
- Available uncoated or with VIS or NIR AR coating
- Lightweight design
- High numerical aperture
- Ideal for use with monochromatic light sources
- Aspherized Achromatic Lens vs. Standard Achromatic Lens
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Aspherized Achromatic Lens
- Greater color correction than standard achromatic lens
- Corrects spherical aberration
- Ideal for use with polychromatic light sources
Achromatic Lens- Color corrected doublet lens
- Multiple AR coating options
- Ideal for use with polychromatic light sources
Figure 3a: Spot Diagram of #49-662 25mm Dia. x 30mm FL Aspherized Achromatic Lens
Figure 3b: Spot Diagram of #45-211 25mm Dia. x 30mm FL Achromatic Lens
- Precision Aspherized Achromatic Lens vs. Precision Aspheric Lens
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Precision Aspherized Achromatic Lens
- Color and spherical aberration corrected aspheric lens
- All glass doublet
- Diffraction limited over visible spectrum
- Low f/# designs
- Ideal for use with polychromatic light sources
Precision Aspheric Lens- Spherical aberration corrected aspheric lens
- Multiple AR coating options
- Increased numerical aperture
- Aberration correction similar to multi-lens system
Figure 4a: Spot Diagram of #85-302 25mm Dia. x 25mm FL Precision Aspherized Achromatic Lens
Figure 4b: Spot Diagram of #47-730 25mm Dia. x 25mm FL Precision Aspheric Lens
- Achromatic Lens vs. Spherical Singlet Lens
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Achromatic Lens
- Optimized to reduce spherical and chromatic aberrations
- Ideal for use with polychromatic light sources
Spherical Singlet Lens- Lightweight
- Ideal for use with monochromatic light sources
Figure 5a: Spot Diagram of #65-553 25mm Dia. x 25mm FL Achromatic Lens
Figure 5b: Spot Diagram of #45-098 25mm Dia. x 25mm FL Plano-Convex Spherical Singlet Lens
As shown, the use of high performance optical lenses, such as TECHSPEC hybrid aspheric lenses, TECHSPEC aspheric lenses, or TECHSPEC achromatic lenses, can greatly improve the performance of an optical system. Using high performance optical lenses minimizes both the spot size and chromatic focal shift.
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