Molds
and Inserts
Finished
Optics
HRDT
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HRDT — High Refraction Diamond Turning for
NIR Applications
Until now, polymers for high index, heat-resistant,
NIR optics could only be molded; prototypes required 8–12 weeks
minimum, mold costs raised production break-even points.
Using Ultem™, HRDT can reliably achieve a surface as smooth as
60 Angstroms, with even smoother surfaces theoretically possible. HRDT,
a patented process from Syntec Optics, enables direct diamond
turning, lowering costs by 2 to 5X:
• Suits spherical, aspherical, toroidal,
cylindrical, cone and plano shapes
• Works for lens surfaces with multiple
diffractive structures
• Supports polyetherimide and polyethersulfone
thermoplastic resins
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POLYMER |
| Time/cost |
Glass |
Molded |
SPDT |
HRDT |
| Fast development |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
| Prod. start-up costs |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Vol. prod. cost adv. |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Spectrum |
|
|
|
|
| Visible |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| NIR |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
| MWIR/LWIR |
Yes |
Not Yet* |
Not Yet* |
Not Yet* |
| |
|
* Hybrid solutions are possible |
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