Gradient Index 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 its length is such that a ray completes one sinusoidal period in traveling through the lens. Lenses having a 0.23 pitch are useful for collimating laser diodes and non-contact fiber coupling and collimating. 0.25-pitch lenses are useful for fiber coupling and collimating and fiber-to-fiber coupling. 0.29-pitch lenses are useful for fiber-to-fiber, laser-to-fiber, and fiber-to-detector coupling.

To reduce back reflections, the plano-angled lenses have one 8° angled face. The plano-convex lenses have less spherical aberration and an increased acceptance angle, thereby minimizing focused spot size and maximizing coupling efficiency. The general purpose plano-plano lenses are available in four wavelength options (630, 830, 1300, and 1560 nm), and the plano-angled and plano-convex lenses are available in three (830, 1300, and 1560 nm). Each lens is antireflection coated for its useful wavelength range to provide maximum transmission.

Specifications

Micro Lenses Specifications Table

Ray Path in Gradient Index Micro Lenses

Object and Image Distance for 0.29 Pitch Lenses

Newport Resource e-Catalogs *

• Newport Resource e-Catalog, pages 732-733 (English)
• Newport Resource e-Catalog, pages 732-733 (French)
• Newport Resource e-Catalog, pages 732-733 (German)