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A fun filled day educating the next generation filled with crafts, optical experiments and more. 

Germanium has long been a go-to material for infrared optics, but it’s not always the optimal choice due to availability and cost. Alternatives like silicon, ZnSe, and ZnS to achieve comparable or even improved performance across a range of IR applications. In this post, we explore how these materials stack up and when they may be the better fit for your next optical design.

Sapphire is one of the most durable and versatile materials used in precision optics, offering exceptional hardness, broad UV–IR transmission, and outstanding thermal stability. Learn how sapphire’s unique properties and crystal structure impact optical performance and why it’s the material of choice for demanding applications.

Learn more about Design for Manufacturability (DFM) in precision optics to ensure that performance-driven designs can be produced efficiently, cost-effectively, and at scale.  Easy lessons for optics procurement professionals or optical engineers that will transform strong optical concepts into reliable, repeatable products ready for real-world applications.

With 70+ years of precision optics manufacturing SPIE Photonics West 2026 was the prefect place to connect with customer, vendors and friends.