Blog — Optics University

Having covered the basic types of lens configurations, as well as, the mechanical parameters used to define a lens shape, we will now discuss how opticians and fabricators characterize the precision of lens surfaces.

Now that we’ve covered the basic type of lens configurations and how, by design, lenses either converge (focus) or diverge light, we can begin to explore the various characteristics that define their physical shape. Overall, there are many parameters that govern the performance of a lens. As previously discussed, it is the specific optical properties of a given material, namely its refractive index and dispersion, that influence light’s behavior when passing between mediums. Opticians build upon these carefully controlled properties by generating highly precise curvature (radii) across the surface of their lenses. By combining this curvature in relation to a...

We welcome our readers back to our continuing technical series on the Concepts of Light and Optics. So far we’ve examined the nature of light and how it propagates, the principles of refraction and dispersion, material characteristics, interferometry, as well as, the fundamental specifications of plano optics. Building on all of these discussions, we now move on to a topic that is at the heart of optical fabrication – lenses. Lenses represent the workhorse of most optical systems. Properly designed and manufactured, these essential elements manipulate light, allowing scientists to examine everything from the minute details of cellular structure using...