FAQs

General

What types of optics do you manufacture?
Esco manufactures catalog optics, including lenses, windows, prisms, mirrors, filters, sapphire, optical flats, and laboratory supplies. We also manufacture custom optics, optical prototypes, short run custom optics and optical coatings.

What industries does Esco Optics serve?
Esco primarily serves the military, colleges and universities, the biomedical and analytical fields, and research and development. We also serve businesses and organizations that do not fit within these industries.

Do you produce everything in-house?
Our standard catalog optics and custom precision optical components are manufactured in shop. If a customer requires an extremely low priced optic, Esco can utilize its overseas partners to help the end user with cost savings.

What is the average turn-around time?
Esco's turn-around time is approximately 4 weeks, given the scope of the order. Esco also offers a quick turn service. 

What certifications does Esco Optics have?
Esco Optics is ITAR Registered and Compliant. We are registered with the DDTC and compliant with MIL- PRF-13830B.

How do I change my online account profile or password?
To change your customer account email, primary contact or password please email Steve@EscoOptics.com.


Shipping 

What shipping services do you offer?
We ship using FedEx and UPS.  

Do you ship overseas and to Canada? 
We ship our products worldwide daily to Canada, Europe, India, and Australia just to name a few. Services include: UPS Worldwide Expedited®, UPS Worldwide Saver, FedEx International Economy, and FedEx International Priority.

Can I ship on my own UPS/FedEx?
Yes, just before checkout you can add your companies account information. 


Optical Coatings

Why are optical coatings important?
Coatings allow for greater light transmission or reflection of specified wavelengths through optical components.

What types of coatings do you offer?
Esco offers a wide range of optical coatings, including: Anti-Reflective, Dielectric Max Reflectors, Metallic Reflectors, Beamsplitter Plates, and Beamsplitter Cubes.

Can any standard optical component be coated?
Yes. Esco is able to coat any of our standard catalog optics to meet your needs, as well as any customer supplied optics.


Filters

What is an optical filter?
Based on the specific range of wavelengths, optical filters will selectively transmit light while blocking all other wavelengths.

What type of filters do you manufacture?
Esco manufactures Color Filter Glass, Neutral Density Filters, and Bandpass Filters.

What is a Neutral Density Filter?
Neutral Density Filters weaken incident radiation without altering its spectral distribution.

What is a Bandpass Filter?
Bandpass Filters are used isolate a narrow spectral bandwidth, rejecting all unwanted energy outside the specified region by either absorption or reflection.


Laboratory Supplies

What type of laboratory supplies do you manufacture?
Esco manufactures cover slips and microscope slides, from materials such as S1-UV Grade Fused Silica, and A1 Fused Quartz.

What types of cover slips do you offer?
Esco produces both circular and square cover slips.

What are the benefits of purchasing laboratory supplies from Esco Optics?
Our lab supplies provide optical characteristics not found in ordinary glass slides and cover slips, which dramatically enhance light transmission and image quality.


Lenses

What is a Biconvex Lens?
A Biconvex Lens has two symmetrical spherical surfaces. It is ideal for finite conjugate imaging over a narrow spectral range, providing good surface quality and low-cost imaging performance over a variety of light sources.

What is a Plano-Convex Lens?
A Plano-Convex Lens has one spherical surface and one flat surface and is ideal for all-purpose focusing elements.

What is an Achromatic lens?
Achromatic Lenses consist of one crown and one flint element cemented together, in order to minimize chromatic aberations.

What is a Cylindrical Lens?
A Cylindrical Lens is used in application areas, such as optical data storage, retrieval systems for imaging linear arrays, spectroscopic instrumentation slits, and processes involving scanning techniques.

What is an Aspherical Lens?
Aspherical Lenses have one aspheric convex surface and one plano or spherical convex surface. An aspherical lens reduces spherical aberration

 

Mirrors

What type of mirrors do you manufacture?
Esco manufactures both Precision (Laser) Quality Mirrors and Commercial Quality Flat Mirrors.

What are Precision (Laser) Quality Mirrors produced from?
Esco's Precision (Laser) Quality Mirrors are produced from Borofloat 33 a Pyrex® equivalent.

What are Commercial Quality Flat Mirrors produced from?
Commercial Quality Flat Mirrors are produced from Soda-lime Float Glass.


Optical Flats

What is an optical flat?
Optical flats are used as test plates to evaluate the accuracy of an unknown optical surface.

What types of optical flats do you manufacture?
Esco manufactures One Precision Surface Optical Flats and Two Precision Surface Optical Flats.

What is the difference between One Precision Surface and Two Precision Surface optical flats?
The former has one precision polished surface and one ground surface, while the latter has two precision polished surfaces and offers versatility and an extended lifetime.


Prisms

What are the benefits of purchasing prisms from Esco?
There are hardly any size limitations for the prisms we can build. We can enhance the tolerance and surface quality to meet the needs of your application, better than laser grade, 10-5, or λ/20. Angle Tolerances can be held within 30 Arc Seconds. We can also custom coat any optic with a variety of different materials.

What types of prisms do you offer?
Esco manufactures three types of prisms: Right Angle Prisms, Equilateral Prisms, and Laser Prisms.

Do your standard catalog prisms come coated?
No. Unless otherwise specified, all prisms are supplied uncoated.


Sapphire

What is sapphire?
Sapphire is the hardest natural substance next to diamond. Sapphire optical components are used for their extreme durability and strength in the UV, visible, and near infrared.

What type of sapphire do you offer?
Esco Optics' standard product line includes Circular Sapphire with Random Orientation. Esco can also accommodate custom sapphire orders that require alternate axis' and/or material grades. Alternate crystals for the far infrared can also be custom ordered.


Windows

Why types of windows do you manufacture?
Esco manufactures Commercial Quality Flat Windows, Precision Flat Windows, Precision Wedge Windows, and Brewster Angle Laser Windows.

What are your windows made from?
Esco creates windows from a variety of materials, including: S1-UV Grade Fused Silica; A1 Fused Quartz, Optical Grade; G1 Fused Quartz, Commercial Grade; 12-IR Low OH Infrared Grade Fused Quartz; BK7 Optical Glass; Pyrex®; Sapphire; and S1-UVA Schlieren-free UV Grade Fused Silica.


Contact Information

Where is Esco Optics located?
95 Chamberlain Road
Oak Ridge, New Jersey 07438

How can I contact Esco Optics?
By Phone:
Toll Free: 1-800-922-ESCO (3726)
Local: 973-697-3700

By Email: sales@escooptics.com
By Fax: 973-697-3011

Quality Optics from a Trusted Supplier

American Owned & Operated

Esco Optics is a leading manufacturer of custom and catalog optics, precision optical components, and ITAR optics in the United States.

Military & Defense Supplier

As the leader for military and defense optics in the United States, Esco Optics adheres to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

ITAR Registered & Compliant

ITAR registered and compliant, Esco manufactures ITAR optics for all of its customers with the strictest confidentiality.