Optical domes play an important part in many optical systems, protecting delicate components from harsh environmental conditions.
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Maybe you need to produce high-quality images of deep sea organisms. You’ve got the delicate underwater camera that will produce the high resolution imagery you need, but you need something that will enable them to withstand high pressure found deep under the oceans.
Or maybe you need to install optical components on a fast-moving dome. Pressure might not be as much of an issue, but you’ve certainly got an adverse environment. Winds, dust, and frozen snow may be pelting your precision optical setup with all they are worth— and you still need to see what is happening. What kind of optical dome can maintain a transparent, scratch-free surface under conditions like that?
Custom domes can provide protection in a wide variety of situations, and are used for aerospace and defense, underwater imaging, and remote sensing, among other applications. You’ll find them on the Mars Rover, on solar radiation sensors, and covering submarine portals. They keep water, wind, radiation, and debris away from delicate equipment, and can also be used to keep out noxious gasses or withstand pressure.
Formed of transparent material, with a concave internal surface and a convex exterior surface, an optical dome is carefully manufactured so both internal and exterior surfaces are parallel and evenly spaced. Think of them as mono-centric shells, where the inside radius is shorter than the outside radius by a constant thickness.
There’s some important optical engineering behind that. Though optical materials used in a dome are chosen for the ideal index of refraction given your application, the index of refraction is still not going to be the same as air. When you have a parallel surface, you minimize the amount of optical aberration caused by the dome. You’re getting as close as you can get to invisible protection.
Durable and high performing dome-shaped optical components can be manufactured from a variety of substrates including zinc sulfide, zinc selenide geranium, UV fused silica, glass, and sapphire. Sapphire is used particularly for infrared ones, such as those used in defense applications. It also happens to be an extremely hard substance, mechanically stable and resistant to scratches. UV fused silica is a good choice for transmitting or receiving light in the UV range, and can be used to protect UV radiometers.
Other advantages of domes will depend on the substrate used. At Avantier, we produce custom optical domes from a wide variety of substrates. Often, our customers request domes that feature:
For many applications, an optical glass dome is the best choice. These domes have a great cost/performance ratio and are both durable and easy to maintain. They are scratch resistant, chemical resistant, and thermally stable. They are also easy to clean. Anti reflection coatings or other protective coating can be added as appropriate.
While an acrylic optical dome is not quite as scratch-resistant as glass, it does have mechanical stability and resistance to breakage. It will also be lighter and can be cheaper to manufacture.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Optical lens domes. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Contact us if you’d like to talk to someone about the ideal dome for your application. Our experienced engineers are available for consultations and if you’d like to go custom we can help you design the ideal optics for what you need to do.
Optical domes are integral to many optical systems, providing critical protection for sensitive components in challenging conditions. Imagine needing to capture high-resolution images of deep-sea life. An underwater camera equipped with an optical dome can endure the immense pressures found in the ocean’s depths.
In another scenario, fast-moving setups exposed to elements like wind, dust, and snow require an optical dome to maintain a clear, scratch-free surface, ensuring optimal visibility.
Custom optical domes serve a wide range of purposes, including aerospace, defense, underwater imaging, and remote sensing. They are utilized in devices such as the Mars Rover, solar radiation sensors, and submarine portals, providing protection against water, wind, radiation, debris, and noxious gases.
An optical dome consists of a transparent material with a concave internal surface and a convex external surface. The surfaces are parallel and evenly spaced, creating a mono-centric shell. This design minimizes optical aberration, offering nearly invisible protection.
Optical domes can be manufactured from various substrates, including zinc sulfide, zinc selenide, germanium, UV fused silica, glass, and sapphire. Sapphire is ideal for infrared applications due to its hardness, mechanical stability, and scratch resistance. UV fused silica is perfect for UV light applications, protecting UV radiometers.
At Shanghai Optics, we create custom domes from a wide range of substrates, often featuring:
Optical glass domes are a popular choice for many applications due to their excellent cost/performance ratio. They are durable, easy to maintain, scratch-resistant, chemical-resistant, and thermally stable. Anti-reflection and other protective coatings can be added as needed.
Acrylic optical domes, while not as scratch-resistant as glass, offer mechanical stability, resistance to breakage, lighter weight, and lower manufacturing costs.
If you are looking for more details, kindly visit Custom Cylindrical Lenses.