Metrology applications benefit from constant magnification and perspective.David E. Smith, Melles Griot OpticsFor decades, engineers developing metrology instrumentation have used telecentric lenses in their products. Contour projectors and optical comparators, for example, owe much of their measurement capability to these unique lenses.Over the past decade or two, as new technologies have shifted product emphasis toward electronic features and digital processing, optical system design has frequently been relegated to a low priority, with the expectation that software will correct poor imagery.Quite recently, however, there has been a revival of interest in solving imaging problems in the optics and...Read full articleRelated content from Photonics MediaARTICLESInspecting for Lens Defects Only Scratches the SurfaceIt may come as a surprise to learn that, in sharp contrast to the high-precision practices of the optics industry, many optical surfaces are still inspected by the naked eye. Humans have yet to be...Photonics Spectra September 2021 IssueTech Transfer Streamlines Implementation of Asphere StandardsThe Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB, the National Metrology Institute of Germany) reported that it has developed standards for aspheric optics. The standards are intended to improve the...Photonics Spectra June 2022 IssueCamera System Combines Wide Field of View with High-Res CaptureA hybrid camera system built by researchers at Shibaura Institute of Technology (SIT) combines wide-angle target monitoring with high-resolution image capture. The system detects indistinct target...Photonics.com 5/21/20213D-Printed Microlenses Correct Color Distortions in Small-Scale ImagesResearchers from the University of Stuttgart used a 3D-printing process called two-photon lithography to make highly precise lenses that are just a few micrometers in size and that reduce chromatic...Photonics Spectra August 2021 IssuePRODUCTSMachine Vision LensesThe Xenon-Jade series of lenses from Jos. Schneider Optische Werke GmbH (Schneider-Kreuznach) is designed for 1.2-in. sensors. 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The lightweight, long-range, motorized lens is optimized for...Photonics.com 4/23/2021Non-browning Zoom LensThe Model 290 non-browning zoom lens from Resolve Optics Ltd. is a motorized, 6× device with a range of mechanical options to optimally suit different applications that may be subject to...Photonics.com 11/3/2021PHOTONICS HANDBOOK ARTICLESPlastic Optics: Specifying Injection-Molded Polymer Optics: The versatility of polymer optics opens new doors for optical designers who understand the whys and hows of specifications.The use of precision polymer optics is becoming an increasing necessity today as products demand sophisticated light handling components to achieve desired results. Polymer optics can be thought of...Photonics HandbookMeasuring Aspheres: Selecting the Best Technique: The metrology method should match the nature of the part and the inspection constraints.The benefits of aspheric lenses are numerous: They allow for a reduction in spherical aberrations and are ideal for focusing or collimating light, as they can achieve a low ƒ-number. Aspheres...Photonics HandbookAspheric Lenses: Design Considerations: This first of two articles will cover design and manufacturing options for aspheres; the second will include more detail on manufacturing and testing processes. These articles will provide the tools optics designers need to tailor their designs to the appropriate manufacturing process and to optimize the cost of component fabrication.Aspheric surfaces are powerful tools that combine the optical corrections of multiple lenses into a single element (Figure 1) and affect performance in ways that spherical optics cannot. 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This paper gives you an overview about several methods of camera-based observation to find the best solution...Photonics.com 7/1/2020WEBINARSNovel Solutions for XR Optical Testing: Displays, Waveguides, Near-IR, and BeyondExtended reality (XR) devices invoke a host of optical innovations — from micro-LED microdisplays to waveguide optics to near-infrared sensing systems. Combinations of these components have...Photonics.com 11/18/2021Mastering the Hidden Pitfalls of Metallic CoatingsMetallic mirror coatings are critical for countless optical systems. Their optical designs are usually quite simple but face challenges in terms of environmental stability and performance across...Photonics.com 8/20/2020Photonics Spectra Conference 2022: January 10 - 13Photonics Media will host its second annual Photonics Spectra Conference Jan. 10-13. The virtual event will comprise four technology tracks — Lasers, Optics, Sensors and Detectors, and Imaging...Photonics.com 1/10/2022Biophotonic Imaging for Medicine: A Digital ConferenceResearchers from around the world presented their latest work at “Biophotonic Imaging for Medicine: A Digital Conference.” Presentations focused on a range of light-based imaging and...Photonics.com 6/11/2015PHOTONICS DICTIONARY TERMSvacuum apparatusEquipment dependent on the effects of a vacuum. The principal applications in optics are in the coating of lenses and substrates and the fabrication of multilayer interference filters.EDU.photonics.com 9/8/2009metamaterialA material engineered from artificial matter not found in nature. 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Dr. Englund's group, the Quantum Photonics Group, is made up of postdocs and...Photonics.com 3/29/2018Photonics on the Showroom Floor and in the Lab - LIGHT MATTERS 02.2018On this month's episode of Light Matters, we take you on a brief tour of the Higgins Laboratories at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). Quinsigamond Community College and WPI received a $4M grant...Photonics.com 2/21/2018PHOTONICS BUYERS' GUIDE CATEGORIESAlignment TelescopesAn alignment telescope is an optical tooling instrument consisting of an objective lens, a focusing lens, an optical micrometer, a reticle and an eyepiece. Alignment telescopes project a precise line...Diffractive LensesDiffractive lenses are any optical device that utilizes diffraction in an image-forming capability. Familiar diffractive lenses are zone plates, holographic lenses, kinoform lenses and binary optics.Monochromatic LensesOptical CollimatorsCOMPANIESLaCroix Precision OpticsOptics that Defend, Build, Cure and Discover The LaCroix name is synonymous with quality precision optics. Since 1947, three generations of family leadership have placed LaCroix Precision Optics...Photonics Buyers' GuideFOCtek Photonics Inc.FOCtek provides customers with all types of custom manufactured lenses, Precision Optical Components, Polarizing Optics, Prisms, Filters, Coatings, Optical Systems, Crystals, Nonlinear Crystals,...Photonics Buyers' GuideKnight OpticalWe are a trusted leading global figure in the production and distribution of scientific, stock and custom precision optics with over 30 years’ experience providing optical solutions for a huge...Photonics Buyers' GuideShanghai Optics Inc.Shanghai Optics is a leading manufacturer of advanced optical components and optical assemblies. Shanghai Optics is an unparalleled custom optical solution provider offering custom optical design and...Photonics Buyers' Guide