Optical Engineering

Optical Engineering is at the core of what we do. If light is used in a product for sensing, imaging, illumination, or therapy, we can bring value to the product's development and production.

Our optical engineering services include:

Lens Design

Using Zemax ray tracing software, we design all kinds of lenses. Most lenses are used to form or transfer an image of some kind. Designs can incorporate refractive, reflective, or diffractive elements. There can be a single element or sixty. Elements can be made of glass, plastic, crystal or a mixture of these. They can range in size from 0.25mm to 250mm across. We can access a comprehensive database of existing lens designs to provide advanced starting points and avoid patent infringement. We can use online libraries of catalog optics to facilitate design with off-the-shelf parts and speed time to market. Optical coatings may be applied to element surfaces to reduce reflections, enhance reflections, polarize the light, or pass only certain wavelengths.

Illumination Design

Using ASAP or TracePro non-sequential raytracing programs, we design many kinds of illumination systems. Systems generally include a light source and beam forming optics. Light sources include LEDs; lasers; all kinds of lamps; and photo-, chemi-, or electro-luminescent materials. Beam forming optics include lenses, prisms, faceted reflectors, light pipes, optical fibers, diffusers, and beamsplitters. The goal is generally to collect as much light as possible from the source and direct it onto a target with suitable intensity and uniformity.

Ray Trace

Detection

Optical detectors are used to convert light into electrical signals. They may operate in the UV, visible, or infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. They may have a single "pixel" (picture element), or millions. Some detectors are used just to determine whether light is present. Some determine the level of the light. Some measure the spectral (color) components of the light. Others, such as CCD imagers, determine the spatial components of the light.

System Engineering

This is the integration of many optical components into a complete, functioning opto-mechanical or electro-optical system. The components may include imaging optics, illumination optics, and detection. These may be mounted in an enclosure suitable for medical sterilization, extreme temperatures, or vacuum. Tolerance studies are done to insure that optical performance is always achieved using a known set of optical and mechanical tolerances. Electronic circuits and software may be incorporated to control the system or perform measurements.

Prototyping

We have working relationships with an array of optical fabricators and coaters in the US, Europe and Far East. We source each component from a qualified supplier. We have access to rapid optical prototyping which can greatly reduce lead times (for a price).

Sourcing

Assembly & Testing

Our optics lab is equipped with optical tables, laminar flow bench, mounts, detectors, variety of lasers and light sources, integrating spheres, filter sets, bench lenses, radiometers, UV/vis/NIR spectrometers, and image acquisition and analysis system. We generally assemble and test all our optical systems. Testing may include transmission, spectral analysis, MTF, resolution, illumination parameters, field of view, signal-to-noise ratios, and many other parameters. If needed, we also have access to the most advanced interferometry, profilometry and electron microscopy.

Interferogram Testing (click to enlarge)

Surveillance Lens (click to enlarge)

Optimum Technologies, Inc. - Optics for Life™

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68 West Street, Southbridge, MA 01550, USA
Phone: (508) 765-8100 Fax: (508) 765-8101 Email:

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