Optical components are core technologies for manipulating and directing light to achieve a variety of applications. Understanding how these components work is essential for the design and optimization of optical systems. MOK Optics is committed to the development and production of high-precision optical components, and on this basis, it conducts in-depth research on the physical mechanisms of optical components, including refraction and reflection, lens equations and imaging, total internal reflection, and core principles such as dispersion and diffraction.
Refraction and Reflection
Refraction refers to the bending phenomenon that occurs when light passes from one medium to another medium with a different refractive index. The root cause is the change in the speed of light propagation in the medium. When light passes from a medium with a higher refractive index to a medium with a lower refractive index, it propagates away from the normal; conversely, when light passes from a medium with a lower refractive index to a medium with a higher refractive index, it bends toward the normal. MOK Optics uses this phenomenon to design and manufacture high-precision lenses and prisms, optimizing the optical path by controlling the surface curvature and material properties.
Lenses are the most common refractive optical components, which refract light to converge or diverge by controlling the shape of the curved surface to produce a clear image. For example, a convex lens can converge light to form a real image, while a concave lens diverges light to form a virtual image. MOK Optics has developed a variety of lenses for different application requirements, including biconvex, biconcave, and aspheric lenses.
Reflection is another important optical phenomenon, which refers to the folding back of light when it encounters the boundary of two media. The angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence, which is known as the law of reflection. MOK Optics produces high-performance mirrors, using a variety of coating technologies (such as aluminum, silver, and dielectric coatings) to achieve high reflectivity over a wide spectral range.
Lens Equation and Imaging
In an imaging system, the relative position of the object and the lens determines the nature of the image. When the object is farther away than the focal length, an inverted real image is formed on the other side of the lens; when the object is farther away than the focal length, an upright virtual image is formed. MOK Optics provides high-performance lenses for devices such as cameras, microscopes, and telescopes. Its design optimizes image quality and eliminates optical aberrations such as spherical aberration and chromatic aberration.
Total Internal Reflection
Total internal reflection is a key optical phenomenon. When light propagates from a medium with a higher refractive index to a medium with a lower refractive index and is incident at an angle greater than the critical angle, the light will be completely reflected back into the medium with a higher refractive index without being transmitted into the medium with a lower refractive index.
This principle is widely used in fiber optic communications and optical prism systems. The optical fibers produced by MOK Optics have precisely designed core and cladding structures to ensure high transmission efficiency during multiple total internal reflections. As for prisms, MOK Optics achieves efficient beam deflection by precisely controlling the geometry and surface coating, which is suitable for beam control, spectral analysis and other fields.
Dispersion and Diffraction
Dispersion refers to the phenomenon that light of different wavelengths is separated when passing through a medium due to different refractive indices. The prisms produced by MOK Optics use the dispersion effect to decompose white light into spectral components, providing excellent performance in the field of spectroscopy. In addition, MOK Optics’ diffraction gratings are based on the wave nature of light waves and achieve high-resolution spectral analysis by precisely controlling the grating period.
Diffraction is the phenomenon that light waves bend and diffuse when they encounter obstacles or slits. The analysis of diffraction patterns can reveal the properties of light waves and the structure of objects. MOK Optics’ diffraction gratings are widely used in scientific research and industrial inspection, and are available in a variety of customized specifications to meet customer needs.
Manufacturing process of optical components
The manufacturing of high-quality optical components is a complex and sophisticated process that requires strict control at every step from material selection, molding and polishing, coating processing to quality control. MOK Optics uses advanced technology and precision equipment to ensure that the optical components it produces have excellent performance and reliability.
Selection of optical materials
The selection of materials is the first step in the manufacturing process of optical components. MOK Optics uses a variety of high-performance materials, including borosilicate glass (such as BK7), fused silica, calcium fluoride, sapphire, and polymer materials. These materials are widely used due to their unique optical properties and environmental adaptability.
Glass materials: Borosilicate glass is suitable for visible light and near-infrared bands, while fused silica has high transmittance in the ultraviolet band. For infrared applications, MOK Optics uses fluoride glass and chalcogenide glass.
Crystalline materials: such as calcium fluoride and sapphire, which have high mechanical strength and resistance to extreme environments.
Polymer materials: suitable for applications with strict requirements on weight and cost, such as consumer electronics.
Molding and polishing technology
MOK Optics uses a variety of molding and polishing technologies to ensure the shape accuracy and surface quality of optical components.
Precision machining: Using CNC numerical control equipment and diamond turning technology to achieve complex geometric shapes with micron-level accuracy.
Grinding and polishing: Through multi-step grinding and ultra-precision polishing processes, nanometer-level surface roughness is achieved, which significantly improves optical performance.
These technologies ensure high precision and high stability of lenses, prisms and reflectors, providing reliable core components for scientific instruments and industrial equipment.
Coating and surface treatment
The coating process plays a key role in the performance of optical components. MOK Optics uses advanced physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) technologies to add multifunctional coatings to optical components.
Anti-reflection coating: Through multi-layer dielectric structure design, the reflection loss of optical surfaces is reduced and the transmission efficiency is improved.
High-reflective coatings: Provide mirrors with efficient reflection capabilities and are widely used in laser systems and reflective optical devices.
Protective coatings: Such as diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings, enhance component durability and resistance to environmental corrosion.
Quality Control and Testing
MOK Optics implements strict quality control measures during the manufacturing process to ensure that every product meets the highest standards.
Optical metrology: Uses equipment such as interferometers and wavefront sensors to detect surface quality and wavefront accuracy.
Environmental testing: Including thermal cycling and humidity testing to verify the stability of components under harsh conditions.
Mechanical measurement: Evaluates the dimensional accuracy and geometry of components through three-dimensional coordinate measuring machines.
Through a comprehensive testing program, MOK Optics ensures that its optical components have excellent performance in the fields of telecommunications, medical, aerospace, etc.
Key factors when selecting optical components
The following factors are crucial when purchasing optical components. MOK Optics offers a wide range of product options to meet the diverse needs of customers.
Wavelength range and transmission performance
The optical component must match the wavelength range of the application. For example, MOK Optics offers a wide range of materials and coatings to ensure optimal transmission performance for the visible, ultraviolet, and infrared spectra.
Material properties
Different materials are suitable for different spectral ranges and environmental conditions. MOK Optics analyzes customer needs in detail and recommends the most suitable materials, such as glass with a high Abbe number or high-temperature resistant sapphire.
Optical power handling capability
For laser applications, the ability of components to withstand high power is critical. MOK Optics produces high-power components with special coatings and optimized designs that can handle high-energy beams without damage.
Environmental stability
MOK Optics’ optical components undergo rigorous environmental testing to ensure stable performance under conditions of temperature fluctuations, high humidity, and mechanical vibration. By using low thermal expansion materials and moisture-resistant coatings, its products perform well in extreme environments.
Cost-effectiveness
MOK Optics combines high-quality and cost-effective manufacturing capabilities to provide customers with competitive optical solutions. Minimize customer costs while meeting performance requirements.
By taking the above factors into consideration, MOK Optics ensures that its optical components not only meet application requirements, but also exceed customer expectations in terms of performance and reliability.