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DataRay Inc. - ISO 11146-Compliant Laser Beam Profilers

Plastic Optics Challenge Glass

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Proper optical design, manufacturing and coating make plastic a low-cost alternative material to glass for precision optics.

David J. Butler, Polaroid Corp., Norwood, Mass.

Injection-molded plastic optics with precision requirements were most likely first produced in high volume by Eastman Kodak Co. during the 1960s. The lenses were spherical and crude by today's standards. In the late 1960s, Polaroid Corp. and others developed advanced measuring capabilities and precision lathes that produced precision aspheric surfaces. Since the early days, manufacturing methods have improved dramatically, and the number of participating companies has increased. In some areas, plastic lenses have surface quality comparable to glass analogs. For example, compact disc...Read full article

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    Published: May 2000
    CommunicationsFeaturesindustrial

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