Cylindrical Plano-Concave (PCV) Lenses (Uncoated and AR coated)
Plano-Concave Cylindrical Lenses are optical elements designed with one flat (plano) side and one inwardly curved (concave) side, which is curved in one dimension.
Estimated Shipping Date: December 24, 2024 - January 7, 2025
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- Description
- Applications
Cylindrical Plano-Concave Lenses: description, functions, purpose
What is Plano-Concave Cylindrical lens?
Plano-concave cylindrical lenses are optical elements designed with one flat (plano) side and one inwardly curved (concave) side that is curved in one dimension. Unlike plano-concave spherical lenses or Bi-Concave lenses that affect light in all directions, cylindrical lenses focus or diverge light in only one plane, offering unique control over the light's path. Specifically, plano-concave cylindrical lenses are used to diverge light rays in the dimension parallel to the lens's curved surface.
Plano-Concave Cylindrical Lenses: key functions (examples)
| Material | Function example |
|---|---|
| ZnSe, ZnS | Correct beam divergence of CO₂ lasers 10.6 µm |
| UVFS | Spreads 248 nm laser beam in specific direction in semiconductor manufacturing. |
| N-BK7 | Adjust Nd:YAG 532 nm laser beam aspect ratio. |
| MgF₂, CaF₂, BaF₂ | Correct asymmetric output of laser diodes in UV to NIR range. |
Cylindrical Plano-Concave Lenses for beam divergence, expansion, correction and other applications
Cylindrical lenses for beam divergence
One of the primary functions of Alien Photonics cylindrical plano-concave lenses is to diverge light in one dimension. This property is particularly useful in applications where spreading the light beam in a controlled manner is desired, such as in illumination systems or in the optical path of imaging systems to adjust the field of view.
Anamorphic beam expansion using Cylindrical PCV Lenses
Alien Photonics cylindrical plano concave lenses are adept at expanding laser beams in one axis, which is essential for correcting the asymmetry of laser beams emitted by laser diodes or other elliptical sources. By expanding the beam in the narrower dimension, cylindrical plano-concave lenses help in achieving a more symmetrical beam profile, which is crucial for applications requiring uniform illumination or precise beam shaping.
Correcting optical aberrations with Cylindrical PCV lenses
Cylindrical plano-concave lenses can be used to correct optical aberrations in one dimension. In systems where spherical lenses create unwanted divergence or convergence, adding a cylindrical plano-concave lens can counteract these effects, leading to improved overall optical performance.
Cylindrical Plano-Concave Lens for image manipulation
In certain imaging applications, it's necessary to adjust the magnification or aspect ratio of an image without affecting the other axis. Cylindrical plano-concave lenses can be used to selectively stretch or compress images along one direction, enabling specialized imaging techniques in scientific research and industrial inspection.
Correcting wavefront using Cylindrical PCV lenses
In advanced optical systems, such as those used in laser resonators or interferometry, the precise control over wavefronts is essential. Alien Photonics cylindrical plano-concave lenses can be employed to modify the wavefront of light in one dimension, improving the coherence or alignment of light waves for high-precision applications.
Cylindrical lenses for astigmatism correction
Alien Photonics plano concave cylindrical lenses can also be used to correct astigmatism in laser beams, where the beam's curvature differs in the orthogonal axes. By appropriately selecting and positioning a cylindrical plano-concave lens, it's possible to correct for this asymmetry, ensuring the laser beam has the desired shape and quality for optical processing or imaging.