N-BK7 Crown Glass Optical Substrate for High Power Laser and Optical System

N-BK7 Crown Glass Optical Substrate for High Power Laser and Optical System

N-BK7 Crown Glass Optical Substrate is a high-quality, versatile optical material specifically engineered for demanding applications in high-power laser systems and precision optical instruments. As one of the most widely used optical glasses globally, it provides an optimal balance of optical performance, mechanical stability, and manufacturing versatility.

1. Material & Composition
N-BK7 is a borosilicate crown glass known for its exceptional homogeneity and consistent refractive index across the entire substrate. This optical glass is manufactured under strictly controlled conditions to minimize internal stresses, bubbles, and inclusions, ensuring predictable performance in critical optical applications where material imperfections could compromise system integrity.

2. Key Properties & Characteristics

• Excellent Transmission: Provides outstanding light transmission from 350nm in the UV to 2000nm in the near-infrared spectrum, making it suitable for broad-spectrum applications

• High Laser Damage Threshold: Specifically formulated to withstand high power densities, making it resistant to laser-induced damage in demanding laser applications

• Superior Homogeneity: Exhibits exceptional refractive index consistency throughout the material, minimizing wavefront distortion and optical aberrations

• Low Thermal Expansion: Features a low coefficient of thermal expansion, maintaining dimensional stability across varying temperature conditions encountered in laser and optical systems

3. Primary Function & Optical Performance
This optical substrate primarily serves as a fundamental building block in optical systems, functioning as windows, lenses, prisms, beam splitters, and mirrors. Its precisely controlled surface quality and material properties ensure minimal wavefront distortion, high transmission efficiency, and reliable performance under rigorous operating conditions. The substrate can be precision-polished to achieve various surface figures and finishes suitable for both visible and near-infrared applications.

4. Application & Uses
N-BK7 optical substrates are essential components across multiple high-technology sectors:

• High-Power Laser Systems: Used as laser windows, output couplers, and lens elements in industrial, medical, and research laser equipment

• Precision Imaging Systems: Incorporated in microscope objectives, telescope lenses, and photographic lens assemblies where clarity and minimal distortion are critical

• Spectroscopy Instruments: Served as windows and prisms in analytical instruments requiring broad spectral transmission

• Aerospace & Defense Optics: Utilized in targeting systems, surveillance equipment, and flight instrumentation demanding reliability under extreme conditions

• Metrology & Interferometry: Employed as reference flats and precision optical components in measurement systems requiring exceptional surface accuracy