The global surge in laser optics applications has seen Edmund Optics, a York-based manufacturer of optics, imaging, and photonics technology, make significant investments in laser optics expertise, capabilities, and metrology, which has resulted in the creation of several new products.
The global laser market has exhibited a global annual growth of 6,3% over the past decade, significantly higher than global gross domestic product (GDP) and even the photonics market.
To respond to this growth in the laser market, Edmund Optics (EO) has created a laser optics development team, invested into metrology, and introduced a vast array of new products ranging from beam expanders to high laser damage threshold mirrors.
Stefaan Vandendriessche, EO’s Laser Optics product line manager, commented: “It was obvious that the demand was there and EO realised that a significant investment in equipment, technical personnel, and technology expertise was necessary to meet the growing markets.
“With EO’s 75-year history and success in other areas of optics and photonics, expanding into laser optics was a natural evolution for us.”
Extensive technical expertise & capabilities
Vandendriessche leads a new team of engineers dedicated to laser optics development. He also hosts a Laser Optics Lab video series covering laser optics concepts including specifications, coating technologies, product types, and more.
EO’s in-house coating capabilities include high Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) coatings, high reflectivity coatings, and high transmission coatings.
The R&D department has been conducting extensive research into how laser beam diameter and other factors affect LIDT. Nathan Carlie, EO’s R&D manager, is part of a committee revising the ISO standard for specifying LIDT.
Edmund Optics has also invested in a range of metrology equipment necessary to manufacture high quality laser optics including interferometers, cavity ring-down (CRD) spectrometers, Shack-Hartmann wave front sensors, profilometers, and coordinate measurement machines (CMMs). This emphasis on metrology is essential for verifying the tight tolerances required for precision laser optics applications.
To supply the high-quality optics needed to meet this ever-expanding market, Edmund Optics is expected to continue its substantial investment into laser optics personnel, equipment, and technology, and release a dedicated Laser Optics Catalog in early 2019.
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