June 19, 2008--A new continuous melting production process developed at SCHOTT Advanced Optics (Duryea, PA) optimizes the optical properties of LASF35 glass, a glass with an extremely high index of refraction that offers excellent properties for sophisticated lens systems used in tight spaces.
SCOTT Advanced Optics, the optics division of the international technology company, will be unveiling an improved version of its LASF35 glass (nd = 2.02204; vd = 29.06) at the international trade fair Optatec in Frankfurt, Germany this week. Using the continuous melting process on its line of high-refractive-index glasses that lie in extreme regions of the Abbe diagram improves internal transmission, particularly within the blue wavelength region.
"Glasses with a high refractive index represent an important prerequisite for the increasing miniaturization of optical technologies," notes Dr. Bernhard Hladik, product manager of optical glass at SCHOTT AG. "This improvement to our product portfolio will offer new potential for innovation for industrial lenses, medical technology, optoelectronics, and laser technology, as well as related advanced technologies."
LASF35 glass is particularly well suited for miniaturized lens systems, such as those used as ball lenses or micro prisms in medical technology for endoscopes, microscopes, and other micro lenses. The continuous melting process achieves much higher internal transmission (63 % at 400 nm for a thickness of 10 mm; color code: 45/37) than other comparable glasses, which is inside the blue wavelength region.
The new glass has been approved in accordance with the European Guideline 2002/95/EG, Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS). SCHOTT is also planning to introduce a version called N-LASF35 that will be free of arsenic in the future.
The SCHOTT booth is located at Optatec at Hall 3.0, Booth D11. For more information, please contact [email protected].