Fiber Coupling Optics

Spherical Ball Micro Lenses are commonly used for: laser collimating and focusing; laser-to-fiber coupling; fiber-to-fiber coupling; and fiber-to-detector coupling. Four diameters are available — 1, 2, 3, and 5 mm. Large spheres are easier to handle and ease the sensitivity of translational alignment. However, smaller spheres fit into smaller packages. The addition of a broadband MgF₂ antireflection coating centered at 830, 1300 or 1550 nm results in a highly efficient lens due to the high refractive index of the glass. Coupling efficiency is generally >90% due to the simplicity of these lenses. Please see Spherical Ball Micro Lenses

Gradient Index Micro Lenses have a radially varying index of refraction that causes an optical ray to follow a sinusoidal propagation path through the lens. They combine refraction at the end surfaces along with continuous refraction within the lens. A lens is said to have a pitch of 1.0 if it's length is such that a ray completes one sinusoidal period in traveling through the lens.

A 0.25-pitch lens will collimate a point source or focus a collimated beam. Two 0.25-pitch lenses in series are commonly used for fiber-to-fiber coupling. A 0.29-pitch lens takes a diverging beam from a source or fiber and converts it to a converging beam that may be imaged on a fiber or detector. 0.15-pitch lenses collimate the diverging beam from a packaged laser diode source allowing a 1 mm working distance to accommodate the diode package constraints.

See Gradient Index Micro Lenses for our large selection of individual Gradient Index Micro Lenses optimized for operation at 630, 830, 1300 and 1560 nm wavelengths.

These objective lenses have been specially designed for collimating and focusing laser diodes as well as fiber coupling. Since laser diodes have very large beam divergence, we offer various high numerical aperture lenses. Multiple focal lengths are available so you can optimize your collimated beam diameter. These lenses have all been corrected for the standard laser diode cover glass. We offer both multi-element and aspheric lenses.

Our multi-element lenses are precision optics with diffraction limited performance. They offer the best solution for more critical applications. Each is anti-reflection coated to maximize transmission. The F-L40B has a triple V-coating for peak transmission at 800, 1300, and 1550 nm.

The F-L20B has a large clear aperture for collimated beams up to 9 mm.

Our aspheric lenses are diffraction-limited molded glass lenses with typical wavefront quality better than λ/20 rms. Each is antireflection coated with MgF₂ centered at 780 nm for maximum transmission. These lenses offer an economical solution without sacrificing performance. Please see Laser Diode Objective Lenses

We offer three types of objective lenses— M- series microscope objectives, L- series infinity corrected objectives and MV- series ValuMax^® objectives. The M- and ValuMax^® microscope objectives are corrected for a rear conjugate at 160 mm and 187 mm, respectively. The lenses are antireflection coated with MgF₂ for the visible spectrum. The M- series are available in a range of powers either individually or as a complete set.

Our infinity corrected objectives are designed with the rear conjugate at infinity. They are ideal for use as input lenses in collimating applications when optimum wavefront quality is required. The lenses are antireflection coated with MgF₂ for the visible region. Please see Microscope Objective Lenses for more information.