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High-Precision Free-Form Polymer Optics for Precision Optics

Jenoptik is able to produce polymer optics that are not rotationally symmetrical. These optics are compact and help you to significantly improve your applications.

Free-form optics are not rotationally symmetrical and can be used, amongst other things, for the collimation of light, beam formation, imaging and complex light diffusion. For example, a free-form lens can combine and shape parallel light rays to project a logo on one image plane.

The optics have asymmetric characteristics. To ensure accurate processing of these optics with ultra-precise lathes, special knowledge is required along the entire process chain. Jenoptik has the required expertise and sees free-form optics projects from the design stage through to system integration.

With our Slow Tool Servo technology, we can produce high-precision free-form optics with diameters ranging from 1 to 350 mm. We use a modified diamond turning procedure, which uses a controlled rotation axis as well as two linear axes. The part of the free-form optics that is not rotationally symmetrical is achieved by means of a dynamic movement of the tool toward the optical axis.

The process is ideal for diamond processing of polymers (PMMA, Zeonex, PC, PS) and metals (nickel-phosphor, aluminum, copper, brass). Depending on your particular application, we can produce the free-form optics in a wide range of shapes.

Benefits

  • Dimensional accuracy: Ultra-precise technology thanks to diamond tools
  • Compact: Greater freedom allows space-saving, minimized components to be integrated
  • Energy-efficient: The same or even improved optical performance despite the smaller number of optical surfaces
  • Precise: Achieve roughness of less than 5 nm (Ra — arithmetic mean roughness) and shape deviation of less than 1 µm (peak to valley)­
  • Expert knowledge: Jenoptik has expertise along the entire process chain

Fields of Application

  • Automotive industry: Head-up displays (HUDs)
  • Lighting and energy: Innovative LED lighting optics
  • Medical technology: Head mounted displays (HMDs), Alvarez elements for microscopy
  • Sensor systems: Innovative measuring systems, free-form optics in camera systems
  • Machine Vision: Geo distance measurement

Free-form optics - Value chain

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Specialist articles

Shortcut on the Way to Freeform Optics

Specialist article in "Kunststoffe" magazine: Issue 12/2013




High Precision Freeform Polymer Optics

Specialist article in Optik & Photonik: Issue May 2012




Thema: Optische Freiformflächen

Veröffentlichung in Fachzeitschrift: Photonik, Ausgabe 05/2010

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Point of Contact Optical Coatings

Polymer Optics & Optoelectronic Systems

+49 36482 45-406

+49 36482 45-226

HCI-CN-Carl-Wang

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