Our uncoated precision plano-convex lenses are polished to tight tolerances using master test plates to ensure minimum wavefront distortion, for demanding laser electro-optic focusing applications. Tight surface quality tolerances minimize scatter and unwanted diffraction effects. Our standard precision lenses have a 40-20 scratch-dig surface quality, and a 1.5 λ surface power accuracy. We also offer economy versions of our lenses with a 60-40 scratch-dig surface quality, for excellent quality at a lower price point. For more information, refer to the optical surfaces technical note.

Standard effective focal lengths across a variety of newport lens sizes, materials and shapes provide a systematic approach allowing for lenses of different sizes to be interchanged without requiring other changes to your optical system. Collimating a point light source coming from the planar surface or focusing a collimated light source which is incident on the curved surface will help to minimize the spherical aberration.

For an application example, let’s look at the case of the output from a Newport R-31005 HeNe laser focused to a spot using a KPX043 Plano-Convex Lens. This Hene laser has a beam diameter of 0.63 mm and a divergence of 1.3 mrad. Note that these are beam diameter and full divergence, so in the notation of our figure, y₁ = 0.315 mm and θ₁ = 0.65 mrad. The KPX043 lens has a focal length of 25.4 mm. Thus, at the focused spot, we have a radius θ₁f = 16.5 µm. So, the diameter of the spot will be 33 µm.

The lenses can be mounted in LT series lens tube for constructing a complex optical system or quickly connecting to other threaded lens mounts: A-Line™ series fixed lens mount, or adjustable lens positioner (with thread adapter). Use LT-WR series spanner wrench for easy lens installation.