Edmund Optics^®

Understanding the most commonly used laser optics materials will allow for easy navigation of EO’s wide selection of laser optics components.

An understanding of refraction and basic ray optics is a critical foundation for understanding more complicated optical concepts and technologies.

Learn the basics of telescope theory and how to construct different types of telescopes.

UV Lenses require extremely tight tolerances and novel materials such as sapphire. Learn more at Edmund Optics.

Overspecifying optical losses in laser systems will not further improve your performance or reliability, but it could cost you additional money and/or time.

Understanding the polarization of laser light is critical for many applications, as polarization impacts reflectance, focusing the beam, and other key behaviors.

Have a question about theoretical foundations? Find out more about the electromagnetic spectrum, interference, reflection, and more at Edmund Optics.

Superpolished optics with ultra-low surface roughness minimize scatter in optical systems, which is critical in sensitive laser applications.

Looking for the best way to clean optics? Learn more about the different cleaning products and methods, along with tips to handle optics at Edmund Optics.

Metrology is critical for ensuring that optical components consistently meet their desired specifications, especially in laser applications.

Light is absorbed in optical media through several methods including exciting electrons to higher energy states and converting to thermal energy

Do you use ray tracing on a regular basis? Learn more about the calculations aspect, along with steps and software at Edmund Optics.

Have a question about adaptive optics or deformable mirrors? Learn more on understanding wavefronts, adaptive optics theory, and more at Edmund Optics.

With over 65 optical glass types readily available at manufacturing sites, EO enables quick prototyping. View the full list of glass types at Edmund Optics.

Have a time or budget restraint? Check out these tips and advantages for designing applications with standard, off-the-shelf optics at Edmund Optics.

Looking for application examples? Find examples for Detector Systems, Selecting the Right Lens, and Building a Projection System at Edmund Optics.

Are standard beam expanders not meeting your application requirements? Learn how to design your own beam expander using stock optics at Edmund Optics.

The diameter of a laser highly affects an optic’s laser induced damage (LIDT) as beam diameter directly impacts the probability of laser damage.

Beam expanders can be used in reverse to decrease a laser beam's diameter, but divergence will be increased.

Are you trying to gauge depth of field in your imaging system? Take a closer look at this article on depth of field calculations at Edmund Optics.

Think you don't need telecentric illumination in machine vision applications? Find out why you need telecentric illumination at Edmund Optics.

Want to learn how to extend a lens beyond its limits in an application? Learn more about spacers, shims, and focal length extenders at Edmund Optics.

Learn why the bulk laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of glass is significantly different than the LIDT optical components with coatings, such as AR thin films.

Spherical aberrations occur in any spherical optic and causes system performance to decrease. Learn how spherical aberration compensation plates can help at Edmund Optics.

The short pulse durations of ultrafast lasers make them interact with optical components differently, impacting the optic’s laser damage threshold.

Trying to understand optical aberrations? Check out how to identify aberrations and view examples at Edmund Optics.

Laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) denotes the maximum laser fluence an optical component can withstand with an acceptable amount of risk.

Imaging lenses and sensors must be paired together with special attention.

Is polarization a new topic for you? Learn about key terminology, types, and more information to help you understand polarization at Edmund Optics.

Master the fundamentals of ultrafast lasers and how to choose optics that can withstand their high powers and short pulse durations.