Edmund Optics^®

Laser beam expanders are critical for reducing power density, minimizing beam diameter at a distance, and minimizing focused laser spot size.

Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors are used to test the transmitted wavefront error of laser beam expanders, predicting the real-world performance of the beam expander.

LC (Low Cost) Fixed YAG Beam Expanders are simple 2-element, cost-effective solutions to beam expansion.

Not sure which beam expander will work best in your application? Check out EO's Beam Expander Selection Guide to easily compare each type at Edmund Optics.

Edmund Optics offers both fixed power and zoom beam expanders. Knowing which beam expander is right for your application can greatly improve system efficiency.

Monolithic Reflective Beam Expanders are ideal for applications requiring broadband or achromatic beam expansion.

Are standard beam expanders not meeting your application requirements? Learn how to design your own beam expander using stock optics at Edmund Optics.

Sliding focusing mechanisms for laser beam expanders cause less beam wander than rotating focusing mechanisms, but they use more complex mechanics and are typically more expensive.

Laser beam expanders consist of transmissive configurations, with Galilean or Keplerian designs, and reflective configurations, which use a series of mirrors, similar to microscope designs.

Want to learn how to extend a lens beyond its limits in an application? Learn more about spacers, shims, and focal length extenders at Edmund Optics.

Understanding Gaussian beam propagation is critical for understanding laser systems because many lasers are assumed to have Gaussian profiles.

Learn more about White Diffusing Glass, which reduces the scattering of light and homogenizes the light source, at Edmund Optics.

Axicons can be used in a variety of different fields. Find out more about axicons and how to use them in applications at Edmund Optics.

Are you working with imaging systems for your next project? Find out how cylinder lenses are used in different systems at Edmund Optics.

Optical lenses require very precise tolerances. Learn more about tolerances for spherical lenses at Edmund Optics.

There are several metrics used to describe the quality of a laser beam including the M2 factor, the beam parameter product, and power in the bucket

Want to use an infinity corrected objective to make an image? You will need a tube lens to do it! Find out why and how it works at Edmund Optics.

Want an inside look at Aspherized Achromatic Lenses? Learn about the advantages, composition, and aspherized process at Edmund Optics.

Learn about the different types of optical prisms, their applications, and how to select the right prism for your specific system.

Beamsplitters do exactly what their name implies: split incident light beams.

Have a question about ball lenses? Find more information about these optical components including essential equations and application examples at Edmund Optics.

Want to know why you should use an achromatic lens? Find out more about achromatic lenses including the anatomy, notable features, and more at Edmund Optics

Semiconductor supermirrors offer high reflectivity and outperform many IR mirrors on the market. Learn more about these new supermirrors at Edmund Optics.

The industry standard method for quantifying reflectivity does not tell the whole story

Specialized coatings can minimize thermal lensing in ultrafast laser systems, which are particularly susceptible to detrimental thermal effects.

Learn about the different components used to build a microscope, key concepts, and specifications at Edmund Optics.

Axicons are conical-shaped optical components used to create a ring-shaped beam.

Single-Material Aspheric Achromats correct chromatic aberrations with a unique geometry, leading to numerous benefits over conventional achromatic lenses.

Mounting flat mirrors by their edges in a kinematic mount imparts stress onto the mirror surface. This results in distortion and reduced quality of the reflected wavefront, which is especially noticeable when using high-quality mirrors. Stemmed mirrors, on the other hand, are mounted from a smaller diameter “stem” protruding from the back of the mirror, resulting in significantly reduced stress on the mirror surface, high stability, and cost reduction and can be used as a replacement for a more expensive and complex kinematic mount and a conventional mirror.