Laser Beam Expanders

Achromatic (Dual Wavelength) Beam Expanders

Special Optics Achromatic (Dual wavelength) beam expanders provide diffraction limited collimation at both 1064nm and 532nm simultaneously.  The air spaced designs enable usage in high power Nd:YAG applications.  The use of high efficiency antireflection coatings on all interior surfaces also ensures low reflection loss.

Features

• Dual Wavelength Correction
• Adjustable Lens Spacing
• Low Insertion Loss

Specifications

• Coating Damage Threshold: 00 MW/cm2
Transmission: > 97%
• Useable Spectral Range: 0.500 - 1.100nm
• Wavefront Distortion: < 1/4 Wave

High Power Beam Expanders

Special Optics High Power beam expanders are specifically designed with a convex first surface, which diverges the return reflection from the first lens surface and prevents any damage backstream of the beam expander. Note: Low Power beam expanders may have a return reflection that is not suitable with high power lasers.

Features

• Adjustable Focus for Collimation
• Diffraction Limited Design
• Large Input Apertures
• High Transmission
• No Focused Retro-reflections

In-Line Beam Steerer

In-Line Beam Steerers are convenient devices that precisely change the angle or alignment of optical beams without the use of mirrors. Unlike Risley prisms, In-Line Beam Steerers move the beams in a cartesian coordinate system rather than in a polar coordinate system. With a single adjustment, the In-Line Beam Steerer deflects the beam either horizontally or vertically. One In-Line Beam Steerer replaces typical two-mirror systems and makes adjustments easier. The In-Line Beam Steerer is an adjustable wedge formed by a plano-concave and a plano-convex lens that are connected to one another using a thin layer of index-matching fluid. Displacement of one lens with respect to the other changes the wedge angle, thereby steering the beam.

Steering resolution is controlled by the radius of the two plano optics.  Our current models offer 14 microrad/deg angle sensitivity, but custom models can be made with a factor of 10 better sensitivity.

Features

• In-line Beam Steering
• Independent two-axis Cartesian adjustments
• Zero beam displacement
• Mounts to 8-32 posts
• BK-7 (n = 1.52)
• Broadband visible and IR coatings
• Custom designs/materials/deflection ranges available
• U. S. Patent #6,320,705

Large Output Beam Expanders

Special Optics line of large output beam expanders provide diffraction limited performance over the entire 100mm aperture, and deliver low wavelength distortion and high transmittance over a broad spectral range. They feature adjustable focus for collimation at various wavelengths, broadband anti-reflection coatings, large output and input apertures and a diffraction limited Galilean design.  Wavefront distortion is standard at less than 1/2 wave, but 1/4 or 1/8 wavefront distortion can be achieved upon request. Custom systems have been designed to provide output beam diameters of over 200mm as well as input beam diameters that exceed 100mm.  

Note: 1/4 or 1/8 wavefront distortion can be achieved.  Please call or email us for this request.

Features

• Adjustable Lens Spacing
• Low Insertion Loss
• Dual Wavelength Correction

SPECS

• Coating Damage Threshold: 500 MW/cm2
• Transmission: > 92%
• Useable Spectral Range: 400 - 1650 nm
• Wavefront Distortion: < 1/2 Wave @ 633 nm

UV Beam Expanders

Special Optics UV beam expanders use UV grade Fused Silica lenses that permit high energy transmission with low insertion loss over a usable spectral range from 248nm to 355nm.  These beam expanders have adjustable lens spacing and no focused retro-reflections.

Features

• No Focused Retro-reflections
• Adjustable Lens Spacing
• Low Insertion Loss

SPECS

• Coating Damage Threshold: 500 MW/cm2
• Transmission: > 97%
• Useable Spectral Range: 0.248 - 0.355 nm
• Wavefront Distortion: < 1/4 Wave

Custom Beam Expanders

Special Optics is also able to provide custom beam expanders optimally tailored to suit your exact needs. Customized beam expanders can be produced to provide lower wavefront distortions, different expansion ratios, higher transmissions and damage thresholds and even larger output beam diameters. Custom systems have been designed to provide output beam diameters of over 200mm as well as input beam diameters that exceed 100mm.

Motorized Zoom Beam Expanders

For automated applications, Special Optics developed motorized versions of our zoom beam expanders. Our Motorized Zoom beam expanders combine our proprietary five-lens element optical designs from our manual zoom beam expanders, with built-in adjustment motors for controlling lens groups. With our motorized systems, both expansion ratio and focus can be controlled independently from a remote location via controller electronics and software running on the Windows platform or C++.

Special Optics' Motorized Zoom beam expanders typically employ a proprietary five-lens element design with three lens groups to reduce the internal focus. We use fused silica lenses on the two input groups. As a result, high damage thresholds can be achieved.

Beam wander is critical in any zoom lens so we employ a proprietary “rail” design which allows for minimal beam wander while maintaining diffraction limited performance over the entire expansion range. Custom designs have been built which produced wander of less than 0.1 mrad.

With Special Optics' Motorized Zoom beam expanders, variable magnification levels can automatically be set ranging from 1X-4X. This variability helps to reduce machine set up times and provides flexibility to equipment for a wide range of jobs. Laser protection class is also maintained as continuous opening of the machine is no longer required. 

These beam expanders are also ideal for general laboratory research.

Features

• USB controlled
• Super compact control box
• User-controlled focus adjustment
• Default expansion settings pre-programmed
• Users can define custom expansion settings
• Compact 2" outside diameter for standard optical mounting
• Windows compatible
• Developed in LabView™
• GUI (.DLL) can be addressed from C++ or other languages

SPECS

• Beam Wander: 0.15 mRad
• Damage Threshold UV & VIS-NIR models: <100 MW/cm²
• Expansion Change Time: < 5 seconds
• Expansion Range: 1x-4x continuous
• FOV: + / - 0.5 Degrees
• Input Aperture (mm): 10mm Max
• Output Aperture (mm): 30mm
• Transmission: >95%
• Usable Temperature Range: -10 to +50 Celsius
• Wavefront Distortion: <0.072 RMS @ 633 nm

Variable Zoom Beam Expanders

For applications where the exact expansion ratio required is not known, Special Optics offers both manual and motorized zoom beam expanders. Our proprietary diffraction limited 5-element design, allows for continuous expansion selection from 1X to 4X and from 2X to 8X.  Fused silica lenses are used on the two input groups to allow for high damage thresholds.  Both expansion ratio and focus can be controlled independently so that diffraction limited performance can be maintained at any single wavelength from 488-1300nm.

Special Optics Variable Zoom Beam Expanders are ideal to compensate for varying optical path lengths. They allow you to match the beam diameter of the laser to the aperture of the optical system. They typically employ a proprietary 5 lens-element design with 3 lens groups to reduce the internal focus and use fused silica lenses on the two input groups.  As a result, our zoom beam expanders tolerate a very high damage threshold.

With Special Optics zoom laser beam expanders, variable magnification levels can easily be set ranging from 2X-8X, 2X-10X, 1X-4X, and 1X-5X.  This variability makes Special Optics Beam Expanders ideal for easier set ups on OEM machines, provides flexibility to equipment and are ideal for general laboratory research. 

Features

• Diffraction-limited design
• 5 element design reduces internal focus
• Continuous zoom and focus adjustments
• Mechanicals specifically designed to minimize beam wander
• Reduce machine setup times

SPECS

• Coating Damage Threshold: 100 MW/cm2
• Transmission: > 95%
• Useable Spectral Range: 450 - 1100 nm
• Wavefront Distortion: < 1/4 Wave