
Proceedings Paper
An analytical study of thermal invariance of polymeric nanolayer gradient index optical componentsFormat | Member Price | Non-Member Price |
---|---|---|
$17.00 | $21.00 |
Paper Abstract
Specially formulated Gradient-Index polymeric optical materials offer capabilities not possible in conventional GRIN or
homogenous optics. A novel technology that enables large scale processing of nanolayered polymer films into real,
performance-enhancing lenses and other optical components for Defense-related optical systems is currently being
employed.
Polymeric nanoLayer GRIN materials (LGRIN) offer the ability to design and fabricate optics with custom gradient
refractive index profiles in optical components up to 90 mm in diameter and approaching 5 cm thick. High performance
achromatic singlet lenses were designed using specially developed ZEMAX design tools and exceptionally high quality
lenses were fabricated from the LGRIN materials. Optical performance of LGRIN optics is shown to be significantly
better than with conventional monolithic optics while also significantly reducing optical system mass, volume, and
optical element count.
Understanding the thermal behavior of such optical components is essential to their operational capability. An
experimental study of the effects of elevated operational environments to validate the feasibility of deploying LGRIN
optics into real-world operational environments was carried out. Interferometric and physical measurements of structure
and optical performance of LGRIN lenses was completed over a 30° - 50°C temperature range. It is shown that
nanolayered LGRIN optics and components exhibit no significant variation in optical performance with temperature as
compared with commercial, homogenous acrylic optics in the designed operational thermal range.
Paper Details
Date Published: 17 May 2016
PDF: 18 pages
Proc. SPIE 9822, Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR, 98220X (17 May 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2222886
Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9822:
Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR
Jay N. Vizgaitis; Bjørn F. Andresen; Peter L. Marasco; Jasbinder S. Sanghera; Miguel P. Snyder, Editor(s)
PDF: 18 pages
Proc. SPIE 9822, Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR, 98220X (17 May 2016); doi: 10.1117/12.2222886
Show Author Affiliations
Howard Fein, PolymerPlus, LLC (United States)
Michael Ponting, PolymerPlus, LLC (United States)
Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9822:
Advanced Optics for Defense Applications: UV through LWIR
Jay N. Vizgaitis; Bjørn F. Andresen; Peter L. Marasco; Jasbinder S. Sanghera; Miguel P. Snyder, Editor(s)
© SPIE. Terms of Use
