Specialty glass and optical components manufacturer Schott North America Inc. will manufacture chalcogenide glass components at its Duryea, Pa., facility for the first time, the company announced at SPIE Optics + Photonics 2011 this week. Schott's IG series of chalcogenide glasses, with its high transmission quality from the near-infrared to long-wavelength infrared (IR) regions, is suitable for defense and security applications including night vision and thermal imaging. The glass provides consistent optical behavior over a wide temperature range, so it can withstand extreme environments without defocusing, the company said. "The chalcogenide glasses are a cost-effective, high performance alternative to germanium in many IR optical designs requiring consistent performance across broad temperature ranges," said Heather Rayle, vice president and general manager for Schott North America's Advanced Optics business. The Duryea facility will offer chalcogenide glass melting, fabrication and metrology capabilities. For more information, visit: www.schott.com