Germanium Windows - Thermal Imaging & Night Vision

Knight Optical can supply you with a custom made Diamond turned aspheric lenses for use within Thermal Imaging Cameras. We supply a range of diamond turned aspherics for a range of applications. All individually QA checked and metrology tested for quality to ensure parts meet customer specification. Supplied in a range of sizes and shapes with custom coatings tailored to meet your individual applications. Thermal Imaging Cameras work similarly to traditional visible camera systems; while traditional cameras form images using visible light; thermal cameras form images using infrared radiation; operating in wavelengths as long as 14µm. Spherical aberration occurs in common singlet lenses, which results in an image that appears distorted, aspheric lenses correct spherical aberration. An aspheric lens surface is designed non-spherical, which allows a single component lens to collimate or focus highly divergent rays, Read PDF for more information…

New for 2019, Knight Optical’s newly expanded collection of Moulded Optics now further meet the demands of the most complex, high-specification projects. Drawing on our 28 years’ experience and passion for producing premium-quality components, we now provide an even greater component offering within our Moulded Optics range. From Quartz Tubes and Aspheric Lenses to sought-after Germanium Windows and Fresnel Lenses, our optics are specified for a diverse variety of applications – such as magnification and light diffusion. One of the most popular uses for Moulded Optics is light sensor devices. Connected to floodlight circuits and used to detect movement within their radar, these devices are commonplace within the defence industry and for home and workplace security usage. Their operation lies within their ability to identify infrared (IR) wavelengths emitted from objects within their field of view. Read PDF for more information….

Knight Optical can offer Hot Mirrors for use in Heat-Sensitive Systems. We supply a range of hot mirrors for a variety of applications – all individually QA checked and metrology tested for quality to ensure parts meet customers’ specs. What’s more, our Hot Mirrors are supplied in a range of sizes and shapes with custom coatings tailored to meet your individual applications. Knight Optical supply precision optical components to customers working with Heat-Sensitive Systems. Hot Mirrors are designed to transmit visible wavelengths and to reflect heat, causing infrared wavelengths. Hot mirrors have a sharp cut-off between Infrared (IR) and visible because they have a dielectric coating that can be controlled for different AOIs (most commonly 0°). For systems that require heat shielding while still needing visibility, hot mirrors can be used. These can attenuate IR radiation and allow visible light, which permits your temperature-sensitive equipment to be visible.

Sapphire (Al2O3) is one of the hardest minerals and optical materials available for use in the range from UV up to 5µm. Sapphire is birefringent and if its use is for critical optical application then the crystal might have to be cut along the zero degree plane, or C-Cut. Random cut is usually cut along a plane that is 60° off-axis as the growth in this direction is the easiest to grow. Random cut is anything that is not the C-Cut angle. Sapphire can fluoresce depending upon the concentration of other minerals within the lattice, for example Iron (Fe) or Chromium (Cr). Clear Sapphire might fluoresce orange when illuminated by UV light if impurities are in the crystal. Fluorescent free Sapphire has to be grown from 'pure' feedstock and seed and in an environment that cannot place impurities into the lattice. Click PDF link to read more …...