Plano Concave Lenses

A plano concave lens is an optical lens with one concave surface and one flat surface. It has a negative focal length, and can be used for light projection, beam expansion, or to increase focal length of an optical system.

Shanghai Optics manufactures a wide variety of Plano Concave Lenses optimized for UV (ultraviolet), visible and IR (infrared) spectrum.  Our facility produces lenses from 2.33 mm to 1000 mm in diameter.  We have both coated and uncoated options, and our design engineers can work with you to design custom lenses as needed to fit your applications.

Factory Standard

• Shape: Plano-Concave
• Diameter Tolerance: ± 0.05mm
• Thickness Tolerance:  ± 0.05mm
• Radius：± 0.3%
• Focal Length Tolerance: ± 1%
• Surface Quality: 40-20 Scratch-Dig（After Coating）
• Surface Flatness: λ/4 @633 nm
• Centration: < 3 arc minutes
• Clear Aperture: > 95% of central dimension

Specifications of our lenses include material, surface quality, clear aperture, diameter tolerance, thickness tolerance, and surface irregularity.

Contact us for manufacturing limit or custom specifications.

Plano-Concave Lenses Capabilities

Plano Concave Lens Specification

Material

The material substrate determines such features as hardness, scratch resistance, and transmission range. We offer plano concave lenses in Schott, Ohara, and CDGM optical glass as well as Corning 7980 fused silica, UV fused silica, infrared fused silica, calcium fluoride (CaF₂), Barium fluoride (BaF₂), Germanium, Zinc Selenide, and Zinc Sulfide.

Diameter Tolerance

The diameter tolerance of a plano concave lens describes the acceptable value of ranges for the diameter. It has no effect on the performance of the lens, but relates to how the lens is fitted into its mount or holder. Our factor standard is a diameter tolerance of +/-0.05mm, and our manufacturing limit is +/-0.01mm.

Thickness Tolerance

The center thickness of a lens describes the allowable variation in the material thickness. It is measured at the exact mechanical axis of a lens, directly between its outer edges. This specification does affect optimal performance because it is the lens thickness which helps to determine the optical path taken by light passing through the lens. Our factor standard for center thickness is +/-0.05mm, and our manufacturing limit is again +/-0.01mm.

Clear Aperture

The clear aperture is the diameter of the part of the lens which meets specifications. Manufacturing constraints mean that the outer rim of a lens can never be as clear as the crucial inner aperture, but our factory standard for clear aperture is greater than 95 percent of the central dimension.

Centration

The amount of decenter in a lens is defined as the physical displacement of the lenses mechanical axis (i.e., geometric axis) from its optical axis. The line that connects the centers of curvature for the surfaces is the optical axis.  Our factory standard for centration is less than 3 arc minutes, and our manufacturing limit is 1 arc minute.

Surface Quality

Surface quality refers to the absence or presence of scratches, pits, and digs. In most applications these are only cosmetic defects, but for high powered laser applications high surface quality is important because they can increase energy absorption to a level that damages the optic.  The surface quality is specified by a two part scratch dig number, and the lower the quality, the higher the number.  80-50 is generally considered standard quality, but our factory standard is 40-20 (after coating). We are also able to provide extremely high quality 10-5 plano concave lenses at a cost premium.

Surface Irregularity

Surface irregularity refers to how the shape of the surface deviates from that of the reference surface. Our factory standard for irregularity is for less than ¼ lambda deviation, and our manufacturing limit is for less than 1/10 lambda.