Specifying Glass And Plastic Optics - What's The Difference?

John D. Lytle

doi:10.1117/12.957352

7 September 1979 Specifying Glass And Plastic Optics - What's The Difference?

John D. Lytle

Proceedings Volume 0181, Contemporary Optical Systems and Components Specifications; (1979) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.957352
Event: Technical Symposium East, 1979, Washington, D.C., United States

Abstract

Plastic optics have come a long way since the first lens was injection molded many years ago; in fact today, the replacement of conventional optical components seems to be one of the least exciting aspects of polymer optics. Like waveguide optics, holographic optics, and coherent optics, plastic optics offers freedoms and options simply not available in conventional glass optics. This is not to say that plastic is not well suited to substituting for glass in many ordinary applications. The real virtues of plastic become clear, however, when one takes advantage of the medium to produce a totally unconventional component. Fig. 1 depicts a precision polygon having internal facets - a part whose manufacture is not possible using conventional glassworking techniques.

Citation Download Citation

John D. Lytle "Specifying Glass And Plastic Optics - What's The Difference?", Proc. SPIE 0181, Contemporary Optical Systems and Components Specifications, (7 September 1979); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.957352

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