Tech focus: Freeform optics
A look at the commercial offerings of the main players in freeform optics.
A look at the commercial offerings of the main players in freeform optics.
The increase in applications for infrared (IR) optics has led to a wider demand for chalcogenides. But the manufacture and coating of this substrate is not without its challenges. This white paper details some of the options available and offers advice on how to source the right fabrication and coating partners.
How optical designers can realise the benefits of using freeform optical elements from the R&D stage when designing for illumination applications
Freeform optical elements give optical designers new and exciting degrees of freedom when it comes to designing optics for illumination applications. These same freeform elements can also add a new layer of complexity to the design process due to added degrees of freedom.
Keely Portway looks at the latest advances in diamond turning, including new properties and functions for optics
As microscopes become ever more powerful, a growing band of businesses are racing to make the latest technologies more accessible and more affordable, reports Rebecca Pool
Illustration of a three-dimensional crystal with various types of confining centres. (a) Crystal with four confining centres, each trapping waves (yellow) in all three dimensions simultaneously. (b) Crystal with a linear confining centre where waves can propagate in one dimension, analogous to an optical fibre. (c) Crystal with a planar confining centre where waves can propagate in two dimensions, analogous to a 2D electron gas. (Image: Vos et al.)
Newly discovered fundamental rules have been embedded into software to dramatically optimise the design of photonic integrated circuits