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II‐VI Incorporated has introduced industry’s first aspheric sapphire optics for next-generation laser systems that extend far beyond the 10 kW range.
Next-generation industrial lasers for cutting and welding are increasingly achieving output powers in excess of 10 kW, driving laser optics requirements to higher levels of performance and durability. II-VI is first in the industry to manufacture aspheric lenses in high-quality sapphire materials to submicron optical tolerances, enabling the same advanced single-element optical designs more commonly available in fused silica, but with 20x better heat conductivity, greatly reducing the focal shift associated with high-power laser heating. At very high laser power, sapphire optics also last much longer than fused silica optics, reducing the total cost of ownership of laser systems during their service life.
This year alone, II-VI introduced new diamond-turned capabilities in zinc sulfide micro-optics, in calcium fluoride for visible optics, and now in sapphire for high-power near-infrared lasers. These innovations complement the company's advances, in high-durability dielectric coatings on copper, aluminum, nickel-plated, and brass-plated mirrors, both rigid and deformable.
II-VI’s sapphire optics are available in a wide variety of lens designs and over a broad wavelength range spanning from ultraviolet to mid-infrared. The company's broad portfolio of laser optics is one of the largest and most advanced in the industry, leveraging deep expertise in diamond turning technology, magnetorheological finishing, and IBS coatings. II-VI also offers turnkey capabilities in optical design, fabrication, thin-film coatings, and metrology.
II‐VI showcased its broad portfolio of laser optics at FABTECH, Booth A3316 from Nov. 11-14, 2019, Chicago, IL.