An optical window is a polished at some of the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum, so that the desired portion of the spectrum pass into an optical instrument unaltered. Optical windows are often custom made using different substrates to serve a variety of industrial applications. Each substrate has a different characteristic that makes it suitable for a particular application. Most optical windows are made as flat plates of a transparent medium. It is good to search for leading suppliers dealing in various precision optics such as lenses, mirrors, cubes, beam splitters, rhomboid prism etc.
UV Windows and IR Windows are designed for optical performance in the Ultraviolet (UV) and Infrared (IR) spectrums. UV Windows are popularly used in laser applications, while IR Windows are used in FTIR spectroscopy, thermal imaging, FLIR, or medical systems.
An optical window should be selected on the basis of substrate’s mechanical or optical properties. Substrate options include materials such as UV Fused Silica, Calcium Fluoride (CaF2), Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2), Potassium Bromide (KBr), Sapphire, Silicon (Si), Sodium Chloride (NaCl), Zinc Selenside (ZnSe), or Zinc Sulfide. Some of the common types of optical windows used for
Sapphire windows are used for protecting delicate optics sealed behind them. It is used in commercial and military aircraft commonly, submarine and many laser and LED applications
Magnesium Fluoride window is durable, material resistant to both thermal and mechanical shocks. Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2) Window is used for UV radiation sources and receivers and excimer laser applications.
Calcium Fluoride windos (CaF?) is commonly used for optics looking at the IR and UV spectrums. It has transmission that is 2.5µm less into the infra-red.
Fused silica windows assure high degree of purity, superior environmental durability, outstanding resistance to thermal shock, excellent transmission from the UV to the NIR and exceptional hardness for demanding applications.
Borosilicate window is used in high powered light source applications and they are ideal choice for cold and hot mirror substrates. These windows
Germanium window is used in precision optical and infrared laser systems. Germanium is a very hard and high-density material. These windows are widely used in infrared detectors and infrared imaging system.
Silicone windos is a high-performance materials widely used in a variety of consumer and industrial products including health care, aerospace, personal care, electronics, transportation and construction.
It is prudent to look for reputed manufacturers and suppliers dealing in optical components to reflect market developments and customer needs.
