Case Studies

See how our precision optical components solve real-world challenges across industries

Medical Devices

Custom Surgical Microscope Lens Assembly for European Medical OEM

Leading European Surgical Equipment Manufacturer

Challenge

A top-tier European surgical microscope manufacturer required plano-convex lenses with surface accuracy better than λ/8 and centration under 1 arc minute. Their existing supplier's batch-to-batch inconsistency was causing assembly delays and yield loss on their production line.

Solution

PhotonEdge engineered UV Fused Silica plano-convex lenses with λ/10 surface accuracy, <30 arc second centration, and custom broadband AR coatings (R<0.25% @ 450-700nm). We implemented statistical process control (SPC) for each batch, providing Cpk reports with every shipment.

Result

λ/10 Surface accuracy achieved
100% Inspection pass rate
3 weeks Lead time (vs. 6+ weeks previous)
Laser Systems

High-Power Laser Mirrors for Automotive Body-in-White Welding

Tier-1 Automotive Laser Welding System Integrator

Challenge

A major laser welding integrator needed high-energy mirrors that could withstand continuous 6kW fiber laser exposure at 1070nm. Previous mirrors suffered coating degradation within 3 months, causing unplanned downtime on their customer's automotive production lines.

Solution

PhotonEdge delivered H-K9L substrate mirrors with ion-beam sputtered (IBS) dielectric HR coatings, achieving >99.5% reflectivity at 1070nm with laser damage threshold >20J/cm². Each mirror underwent 72-hour burn-in testing and spectral characterization before shipping.

Result

>20 J/cm² Laser damage threshold achieved
R>99.5% Reflectivity at 1070nm
18 months Months of field operation without failure
Scientific Research

Custom CaF2 Optics for Deep-UV Spectroscopy System

National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory

Challenge

A national synchrotron lab required CaF2 windows and lenses with transmission >93% at 193nm, surface quality 20-10 scratch-dig, and wedge angle <30 arc seconds for their vacuum UV beamline. Standard catalog optics couldn't meet these combined specifications.

Solution

PhotonEdge manufactured custom CaF2 components with 20-10 surface quality, λ/8 flatness, and parallelism <30 arc seconds. We used e-beam evaporation for precise thickness control and provided individual Zygo interferometer and UV-VIS spectrophotometer test reports for each component.

Result

T>93% Transmission at 193nm
20-10 Surface quality achieved
2 weeks Delivery for first prototype batch
Defense & Aerospace

Multi-Spectral IR Optical Assembly for Border Surveillance

Defense Optics Subsystem Contractor

Challenge

A defense contractor needed Germanium and ZnSe optical assemblies for a long-wave infrared thermal imaging system operating in extreme desert conditions (-40°C to +70°C). Previous optics suffered delamination and focus shift under thermal cycling.

Solution

PhotonEdge designed and manufactured Ge/ZnSe optical assemblies with athermal mounts, diamond-turned surfaces (Ra<10nm), and custom AR coatings optimized for 8-12μm LWIR band. All assemblies passed MIL-STD-810G thermal shock and vibration testing.

Result

8-12μm LWIR transmission achieved
MIL-STD-810G MIL-STD-810G qualified
24 months Months of field deployment

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