Significance and Uses of Laser Windows
Laser windows are typically used in optical systems to safeguard lenses from dust or pollution. A laser window often has very high transmission, low absorption material and a low wave front distortion. These windows can be used in a wide range of applications such as high power laser, materials processing, lens protection after the focusing head, solid state laser and much more. Some other common uses for laser windows are enclosures, walls, glove boxes, and viewing windows.
These windows are often used to provide a high degree of transmission of specified wavelengths and are ideal for applications that require protecting a laser output while minimizing stray light and reflections. These windows provide transmission of desired wavelengths while effectively reflecting unwanted wavelengths. Many of these windows have high damage thresholds to high output YAG and Ti-sapphire Lasers. Such windows can be customized to suit your needs such as optical characteristics, external shape, and surface figure guaranteed after coating. These windows may be designed for either laser transmission or laser safety purposes. There are several varieties of laser windows used for laser transmission and laser blocking applications. These windows are available in various optical substrates such as N-BK7, fused silica, sapphire, Ge, ZnSe and more. AR coatings are usually applied to the both surfaces of a window. Hence, each side of the optical window features an AR coating that is centered on a common laser wavelength. These windows also have high damage thresholds, which makes them an ideal solution for most of the industrial and laser protecting applications. Most of the reputed manufacturers offer custom optical windows in almost any shape and design such as cut-outs and drillings. These windows are often designed for where the laser processing areas need to be seen, but the laser radiation needs to be contained. These windows are often used to replace standard window for viewing into a laser production area. Laser windows can also be used as small viewing windows within entry access doors and for integrating directly into production equipment so the laser processing can be safely viewed. Custom made laser windows typically have following features;
• Customized design
• High quality consistency
• High laser damage threshold
• High accurate shape
• Low Scratch-Dig
• Low roughness
Most of the manufacturers offer custom made laser windows in common glass thicknesses, diameters or wavelengths and you get custom-made product according to your individual specifications. Based on your specific laser application requirements, they provide acrylic, glass and polycarbonate in customized sizes. Size, protection, and ease of installation are some of the factors that will help you to determine which material you go with. One should look for reputed manufacturers to buy quality windows to suit your application.
