ZOLIX OLPA & OLNA Series Achromatic Lenses

Overview

ZOLIX OLPA and OLNA series achromatic lenses are precision-corrected doublet optical components engineered for high-fidelity imaging and beam manipulation in demanding laboratory and industrial optical systems. Each lens consists of two cemented elements—typically a low-dispersion crown glass (e.g., BK7) and a high-dispersion flint glass (e.g., SF2)—designed to minimize both axial chromatic aberration (longitudinal color) and spherical aberration across the visible spectrum (400–700 nm). Unlike simple singlets, these achromats achieve near-zero focus shift between red (656 nm), green (587 nm), and blue (486 nm) wavelengths, delivering significantly improved spot size, contrast, and wavefront fidelity in collimation, focusing, and relay applications. The OLPA series features positive focal lengths (+50 mm to +120 mm), optimized for converging beam paths; the OLNA series provides negative focal length (–50 mm), enabling beam expansion, telecentric correction, or aberration balancing in compound lens assemblies.

Key Features

• Doublet design with precision optical cementing ensuring thermal and mechanical stability under continuous illumination
• Anti-reflection coating (standard MgF₂, optional broadband AR from 400–1000 nm) achieving <0.5% average surface reflectance per interface
• Tight manufacturing tolerances: focal length tolerance ±1%, centration <3 arcmin, surface quality 40-20 scratch-dig per MIL-PRF-13830B
• Standard 25.4 mm (1-inch) clear aperture with precision-ground and polished plano-convex/plano-concave element interfaces
• Robust mechanical mounting compatibility via standard SM1-threaded lens tubes (1.035″-40) or kinematic mounts
• Available with custom coatings (e.g., V-coat at 532 nm, ultra-low GDD coatings for ultrafast applications) and substrate alternatives (e.g., fused silica for UV transmission)

Sample Compatibility & Compliance

ZOLIX achromatic lenses are designed for integration into ISO-standard optical breadboards, cage systems (e.g., Thorlabs CAGE, Newport Kinematic Mounts), and OEM instrumentation platforms. All lenses comply with RoHS 2011/65/EU directives and meet ISO 9001:2015 manufacturing process controls. Surface cleanliness conforms to ISO 10110-7 Class 5 specifications. While not certified to FDA or IEC 61000-4 standards as standalone medical or EMC devices, their optical performance is validated per ISO 10110-2 (surface form) and ISO 10110-3 (surface imperfections), supporting use in GLP-compliant spectroscopic, metrological, and laser alignment workflows where traceable optical calibration is required.

Software & Data Management

As passive optical components, ZOLIX achromatic lenses do not incorporate embedded electronics or firmware. However, comprehensive optical prescription data—including radius of curvature, glass types, center thicknesses, air gaps (where applicable), and coating spectral curves—is provided in Zemax (.zmx), CODE V (.seq), and ASAP (.asap) formats upon request. All delivered lenses include serialized traceability documentation aligned with ISO/IEC 17025 calibration chain principles, enabling full integration into lab asset management systems (e.g., LabWare LIMS, Thermo Fisher SampleManager) for audit-ready optical inventory tracking. Design files support parametric modeling in SolidWorks and Creo for mechanical integration validation.

Applications

• Laser beam conditioning in DPSS and diode laser systems (e.g., collimation of 405 nm, 532 nm, 635 nm sources)
• High-resolution fluorescence microscopy illumination paths requiring minimal chromatic blur
• Fiber coupling optics in telecom and sensing systems operating across O-, C-, and L-bands
• Optical coherence tomography (OCT) reference arms and sample arm focusing optics
• UV-VIS-NIR spectrometer collimators and focusing elements (with fused silica variants)
• Education and research labs for Abbe refractometry, Fourier optics experiments, and optical train alignment training

FAQ

Are ZOLIX achromatic lenses suitable for high-power laser applications?
Standard MgF₂-coated OLPA/OLNA lenses are rated for CW power densities up to 1 MW/cm² at 532 nm and 500 kW/cm² at 1064 nm (ISO 21254-1 test conditions). For pulsed lasers (>10 ns pulse width), damage threshold scales with √(pulse duration); custom high-LIDT coatings are available upon specification.

Can I request custom focal lengths or diameters beyond the standard 25.4 mm catalog?
Yes. ZOLIX supports custom diameters (Φ12.7 mm to Φ75 mm), focal lengths (±25 mm to ±500 mm), and material combinations (e.g., CaF₂/SF10 for deep-UV). Minimum order quantities apply; lead time is typically 4–6 weeks after drawing approval.

Do these lenses meet vacuum-compatible requirements?
Standard versions use optical cement with outgassing rates <1×10⁻⁶ g/(cm²·h) per ASTM E595. Vacuum-compatible variants (with low-outgassing epoxy and uncoated edges) are available for UHV environments (<10⁻⁷ Torr).

Is metrology data (interferometric test reports) included with shipment?
Yes. Each lens batch undergoes transmitted wavefront error (TWE) verification using a Zygo Verifire Interferometer. Full interferograms and PV/RMS wavefront reports are supplied digitally with traceable NIST-traceable calibration certificates.