The spacing between the lines at the object is usually represented as spatial frequency given in cycles/mm. In this near IR achromatic doublet, the design wavelengths (706.5 nm, 855 nm, and 1015 nm) have each been traced through the lens and are represented by different colors. For more information on cleaning optics, please see our Optics Cleaning tutorial. Hello! Dear Sir or Madam, I'm having trouble understanding the lens reference diagram. While the LIDT, when expressed in units of J/cm, scales independently of spot size; large beam sizes are more likely to illuminate a larger number of defects which can lead to greater variances in the LIDT [4]. Pulses shorter than 10-9 s cannot be compared to our specified LIDT values with much reliability. In reality, most optics fall short of the theoretical due to manufacturing tolerances. Hello, thank you for contacting Thorlabs. A plot of the modulation transfer function is used as both a theoretical and experimental description of image quality. This graph was obtained from [1]. This means that both CW and pulsed damage thresholds must be compared to the laser beam to determine whether the optic is suitable for your application. Since shorter and longer wavelengths will have different resolution limits, and hence different individual MTF curves, quantitatively different polychromatic MTF curves may be produced depending on the wavelengths included in the curve's calculation. For best performance, the side of the lens with the largest radius of curvature (flattest side) should face away from the collimated beam. Typically, a resolution target made up of black and white lines at various spacings is imaged and contrast can be measured. http://www.thorlabs.com/NewGroupPage9.cfm?ObjectGroup_ID=1524&pn=SM2A6#3428. I will email you an excel file that provides the focal length shift data you saw posted in our family image. SM2A6: Refer to the Application tab above for information about the superior performance of achromatic doublets compared to singlet lenses. An AC127-030-Cachromatic doublet lens has a specified CW LIDT of 350 W/cm, as tested at 1550 nm. Therefore, a more accurate determination of the maximum linear power density of the system is 1W/cm. Pulsed Nanosecond Laser Example: Scaling for Different Pulse DurationsSuppose that a pulsed Nd:YAG laser systemis frequency tripled to produce a 10 Hz output, consisting of 2ns output pulses at 355nm, each with 1J of energy, in a Gaussian beam with a 1.9cm beam diameter (1/e2). Thanks, Pulsed lasers with pulse lengths longer than 1 s can be treated as CW lasers for LIDT discussions. While the broadband mirror wouldlikely be damaged by the laser, the more specialized laser line mirror isappropriate for use with this system. These values are used to calculate adjusted, scaled LIDT values for the optics based on accepted scaling laws. Back-focal length can be an ambiguous term which can refer to two distinct measurements; either the focal length in reverse direction, or (as in this case) the focal distance as measured from the last optical surface along the optical axis. I am wondering about the outside diameter of the (engraved) tubes used for the mounted lenses. In CW applications, for instance, damage scales more strongly with absorption in the coating and substrate, which does not necessarily scale well with wavelength. A reply from Jens at Thorlabs: looking at the spec tab for the 1" 30mm focal lenght achromat (AC254-030-A1-ML) I see a value of 22.9mm. For the 0.5" version a value of 27.5mm is listed. The following is a general overview of how laser induced damage thresholds are measured and how the values may be utilized in determining the appropriateness of an optic for a given application. Hello, I purchased a pair of the 1" 30 mm focal length achromatic doublets coated for the visible and Im seeing a different value for focal distance from the flat side of the lens than the listed f_b of 27.5 mm. In the specification tables below, a positive radius of curvature indicates that the surface is opening to the right when the lens is oriented as shown in the reference drawing while a negative radius of curvature indicates that the surface is opening to the left. Is there also a tested CW damage threshold for these achromat doublets? As described on the previous tab, LIDT values in the nanosecond pulse regime scale with the square root of the laser pulse duration: This adjustmentfactor results in LIDT values of 0.45J/cm2 for the BB1-E01 broadband mirror and 1.6J/cm2 for the Nd:YAG laser line mirror, which are to be compared with the 0.7J/cm2maximum energy density of the beam. In this regime, the LIDT given as anenergy density can be applied to any beam diameter; one does not need to compute an adjusted LIDT to adjust for changes in spot size. Substrate materials often have multiple names, which vary depending upon the supplier of the bulk material. MTF image quality is an important characteristic of lenses. This specification is also commonly referred to as surface fit. I need to know the location of the back focal plane of AC508-200-A-MLd relative to the lens, however, on the reference document f, the focal length and f_b, the back focal length are both defined as being in the same direction, and both listed as positive. http://www.thorlabs.com/NewGroupPage9.cfm?ObjectGroup_ID=3383&pn=SM2L10#213. In addition, they offer better broadband and off-axis performance than aspheric lenses. 91, 127402 (2003). For reference, a Gaussian beam typically has a maximum power density that is twice that of the uniform beam (see lower right). (532 nm, 10 ns pulse, 10 Hz, 0.566 mm). Thanks again for taking the time to comment and to help us improve the information we provide. Thanks for your help. Pulsed lasers often do not heat the optic enough to damage it; instead, pulsed lasers produce strong electric fields capable of inducing dielectric breakdown in the material. Thorlabs' Cemented Visible Achromatic Doublets are available pre-mounted in engraved threaded mounts, making it easy to incorporate these optics into your setup. Capacity: 10), M-F: 8 AM - 8 PM EDT, Sat: 9 AM - 1 PM EDT, 400 - 700 nm Unmounted Achromatic Doublets, 400 - 1100 nm Unmounted Achromatic Doublets, 650 - 1050 nm Unmounted Achromatic Doublets, 1050 - 1700 nm Unmounted Achromatic Doublets, 400 - 1100 nm Mounted Achromatic Doublets, 650 - 1050 nm Mounted Achromatic Doublets, 1050 - 1700 nm Mounted Achromatic Doublets, Technical Support: techsupport@thorlabs.com, Click on the red Document icon next to the item numbers below to access the Zemax file download. An infinity symbol denotes that this lens has an infinite conjugate ratio (i.e., if a diverging light source is placed one focal length away from the flatter side of the lens, the light rays emerging from the curved side will be collimated). Reply from Sean at Thorlabs: Thank you for your feedback on our website presentation! [3] C. W. Carr et al., Phys. Please see our Visible Achromatic Doublets to purchase these lenses unmounted. In this regime, the LIDTgiven as a linear power densitycan be applied to any beam diameter; one does not need to compute an adjusted LIDT to adjust for changes in spot size, as demonstrated by the graph to the right. Contact Tech Support for more information. Next, the power/energy is either increased or decreased and the optic is exposed at 10 new locations. For applications that require higher damage thresholds, please consider our, The power density of your beam should be calculated in terms of W/cm. Upon request, we can provide individual test information and a testing certificate. Mounts smaller than 1/2" are engraved with the part number only. To receive more information or inquire about a custom order, please contact Tech Support. Are the mounted 2-inch lenses mounted in the same kind of lens tubes (SM2L05, SM2M10, etc.) In order to illustrate the process of determining whether a given laser system will damage an optic, a number of example calculations oflaser induced damage threshold are given below. Jale. This is the plane from which it is measured in the diagram. Custom Achromatic LensesThorlabs' optics business unit has a wide breadth of manufacturing capabilities that allow us to offer a variety of custom achromatic optics for both OEM sales and low quantity one-off orders. I realized, that I mounted many achromatic doublets in my 4f imaging systems with the wrong orientation. This is why we don't spec a back-focal length as you've described. A good rule of thumb is that the damage threshold has a linear relationship with wavelength such that as you move to shorter wavelengths, the damage threshold decreases (i.e., a LIDT of 10 W/cm at 1310 nm scales to 5 W/cm at 655 nm): While this rule of thumb provides a general trend, it is not a quantitative analysis of LIDT vs wavelength. The spot (circle of least confusion) from the doublet is 4.2 times smaller than the singlet spot size. On the other hand, the pulsed LIDT scales with the square root of the laser wavelength and the square root of the pulse duration, resulting in an adjusted value of 55 J/cm2 for a 1 s pulse at 980 nm. Edge of housing to focal point is then ~70.09mm. Please contact TechSupport@thorlabs.com if you have any questions. Use the SPW801Adjustable Spanner Wrench to incorporate the 5 mm, 6 mm, and 6.35 mm lenses into adapters and lens tube systems. I will reach out to you directly. -B coated doublets (650 - 1050nm): 810nm, 100W/cm^2 According to the test, the damage threshold of the mirror was 2.00 J/cm2 (532 nm, 10 ns pulse, 10 Hz, 0.803 mm). Chromatic aberration is due to the variation of refractive index with respect to wavelength. The optic is exposed in 10 locations to this laser beam for 30 seconds (CW) or for a number of pulses (pulse repetition frequency specified). The damage analysis will be carried out on a similar optic (customer's optic will not be damaged). Yet the back focal plane must be located on the opposite side of the lens to where it is drawn. Rev. For other products like achromatic triplets or cylindrical achromatic doublets there are focal length shift data available. Beam diameter is also important to know when comparing damage thresholds. The figures also shows how the circle of least confusion for white light is reduced by using an achromatic doublet. Below are some examples of how the performance of these lenses can be examined using the Zemax files. Do they fit properly in the 2-inch tube clamps and slip rings, such as the SM2TC or SM2RC? A response from Adam at Thorlabs to a.heinrici: The infinite conjugate plate is located on the opposite side of the threaded portion of the mount. This process is repeated until damage is observed. Average linear power density can be calculated using the equation below. The illustration is correct in this case. As described on the previous tab, the LIDT value of an optic scales with the square root of the wavelengthin the nanosecond pulse regime: This scaling gives adjustedLIDT values of 0.08 J/cm2 for the reflective filter and 14 J/cm2 for the absorptive filter. This lens can be mounted on any of our SM2-threaded mounts, for example the LMR2. A plot of MTF shows the percentage of contrast as the spacing between these lines decreases. However, the large average linear power density of the laser system may cause thermal damage to the optic, much like a high-power CW beam. Hi, Additionally, a member of my team is currently working to add this information to the web page. The highlighted columns in the table below outline the relevant pulse lengths for our specified LIDT values. Theoretical MTF shows how well a design can perform if the optic was built exactly to the design dimensions. Response from Tim at Thorlabs: ~68.9mm and ~70.1mm. Opt. Hello, thank you for contacting Thorlabs. The average energy density of each pulse is found by dividing the pulse energy by the beam area: As described above, the maximum energy density of a Gaussian beam is about twice the average energy density. The MTF of a lens describes its ability to transfer contrast from an object to an image at various resolution levels. This solution will allow you to easily thread in the SM2 to SM1 adapter(SM2A6). This graph was obtained from [1]. The materials listed here are the Schott glass types. For reference a Gaussian beam typically has a maximum energydensity that is twice that of the 1/e2 beam. SM2L10: For beams sizes greater than 5 mm, the LIDT (J/cm2) will not scale independently of beam diameter due to the larger size beam exposing more defects. When choosing optics, it is important to understand the Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) of the optics being used. Although you can use it backward/forward, using in the engraved direction will reduce aberrations by keeping the more curved side towards infinity. You must now consider hotspots in the beam or other non-uniform intensity profiles and roughly calculate a maximum power density. Upon request, we can provide individual test information and a testing certificate. Most of the materials listed here are the Schott glass types with the exceptions of, Common microscope tube lens focal lengths. The damage threshold of an NDUV10A25 mm, OD 1.0, reflective neutral density filter is 0.05 J/cm2for 10 ns pulses at355nm, while the damage threshold of the similar NE10Aabsorptive filter is 10 J/cm2 for 10 ns pulses at 532 nm. Unfortunately, this is highly dependent on factors such as absorption and thermal diffusivity, so there is no reliable method for determining when a high PRF laser will damage an optic due to thermal effects. While many optics can handle high power CW lasers, cemented (e.g., achromatic doublets) or highly absorptive (e.g., ND filters) optics tend to have lower CW damage thresholds. In the mount there is 4.8mm from the 41.3mm radiused surface to the edge of the housing. Much like surface flatness for flat optics, spherical surface power is a measure of the deviation between the surface of the curved optic and a calibrated reference gauge. Thorlabs' achromatic doublets are optimized to provide a nearly constant focal length across a broad bandwidth. Achromatic doublets are useful for controlling chromatic aberration and are frequently used to achieve a diffraction-limited spot when using a monochromatic source like a laser. In order to use the specified CW damage threshold of an optic, it is necessary to know the following: Thorlabs expresses LIDT for CW lasers as a linear power density measured inW/cm. Response from Buki at Thorlabs to r.m.dijkstra: The design wavelengths used are the helium "d" (587.6 nm, yellow), hydrogen "F" (486.1 nm, blue/green), and hydrogen "C" (656.3 nm, red) lines since they reasonably represent the visible spectrum and are used to define the Abbe Number, Vd, of a material. The circle surrounding the distribution of ray intercepts represents the diameter of the Airy disk. Please note that we have a buffer built in between the specified damage thresholds online and the tests which we have done, which accommodates variation between batches. The longer the pulse duration, the more energy the optic can handle. When an optic is damaged by a continuous wave (CW) laser, it is usually due to the melting of the surface as a result of absorbing the laser's energy or damage to the optical coating (antireflection) [1]. Working Distance is measured from the endof the externally threaded side of the mount, as shown in the reference drawing. This represents 83% contrast at0.05 mm spacings between lines. From the center of the 41.3mm radiused surface to the focal point it is 73.66mm. In an achromatic doublet this effect is somewhat compensated for by using glasses of two different refractive indexes to cancel these aberrations. For the mounted Doublets it would be nice if you could drop the word Achromatic from the descirption and include the thread size on the cell instead. Using a collimated source incident on the curved side, I measure a length of about 23.5 mm from the flat side of the lens to the focal point. Both are 25.4 mm lenses with a 3 mm beam through the optical axis and one offset by 8.0 mm. I need the infinite conjugate face to be coupled into an SM1 tube system. Or are they only tested with a pulsed source as given by the specs? For long pulses to CW, linear power density becomes a constant with spot size. In contrast, pulses between 10-7 s and 10-4 s may cause damage to an optic either because of dielectric breakdown or thermal effects. -A coated doublets (4000 - 700nm): 532nm, 100W/cm^2 The contrast is around 83% at a spatial frequency of about 20 cycles/mm. These lower thresholds are due to absorption or scattering in the cement or metal coating. Now compare the maximum power density to that which is specified as the LIDT for the optic. For short pulses, energy density becomes a constant with spot size. These achromats are infinity-corrected, meaning they're designed to have collimated light on one side, and focused or divergent light from the other side. The power density of your beam should be calculated in terms of W/cm. Approximate intensity profile of your beam (e.g., Gaussian), Linear power density of your beam (total power divided by 1/e, Energy density of your beam (total energy divided by 1/e, Pulse repetition frequency (prf) of your laser. CW Laser ExampleSuppose that a CW laser system at 1319 nm produces a 0.5 W Gaussian beam that has a 1/e2 diameter of10 mm. Is it a general fact that the orientation is essential for the short focal lengths and not so essential for the others? Achromatic Doublet Lenses have far superior optical performance to Singlet Lenses. I will reach out to you directly to discuss your application. These achromatic doublets, which are designed for use in the visible spectral region (400 - 700 nm), are computer optimized at infinite conjugate ratios. This system falls somewhere between the regimes of CW and pulsed laser induced damage, and could potentially damage an optic by mechanisms associated with either regime. Note that the guideline presented here assumes room temperature operation and optics in new condition (i.e., within scratch-dig spec, surface free of contamination, etc.). For an explanation of why the linear power density provides the best metric for long pulse and CW sources, please see the "Continuous Wave and Long-Pulse Lasers" section below. For a Gaussian output, these specifications result in a maximumenergy density of 0.1 J/cm2. Could you clarify from where f_b is measured, and whether it should be measured in the opposite direction to that drawn? We do not have tested data for CW light but we have some guidelines to provide based on a 1mm diameter beam: The engraved arrow points from the side of the lens with the larger radius of curvature (flatter side) to the side with the smaller radius of curvature and indicates the recommended direction of light propagation to collimate a point source. There is 2.8mm from the -137.1mm radiused surface to the end of the external thread.