Ball Lenses

Name: Ball Lenses
Brand: PhotonEdge
SKU: PE-LENS-BALL-008
Availability: LimitedAvailability

Key Specifications

Material	BK7 / UV Fused Silica / Sapphire
Diameter	0.5-10 mm
Effective Focal Length	~1x diameter (depends on n)
Wavelength	Material dependent
Surface Quality	20-10 standard
Sphericity	< 1µm typical
Clear Aperture	Full sphere
Coatings	AR coatings available

What Is a Ball Lenses?

Ball lenses are perfect spheres of optical glass or crystal that function as short focal length lenses. Their symmetric geometry provides self-centering in mechanical housings, making them ideal for fiber optic coupling and miniature optical assemblies.

Commonly used in fiber optic communication, endoscopy, sensor systems, and any application requiring miniature focusing or collimation in a compact package.

When Should You Use This Product?

✔ Good Choice When

✓ Fiber-to-fiber or fiber-to-detector coupling
✓ Miniature optical systems with tight space constraints
✓ Endoscopy and medical imaging probes
✓ Sensor systems requiring compact focusing

⚠ Consider an Alternative When

✗ Larger aperture focusing needed → Plano-Convex Lens

✗ High-quality imaging → Aspheric Lens

✗ Rod-shaped illumination → Rod Lens

✗ Collimating laser diodes → C-Mount Lens

Available Optical Materials

Select the optimal substrate material based on your wavelength, environment, and budget requirements.

Material	Transmission	Key Advantage	Considerations
BK7	VIS / NIR (350-2000nm)	Low cost, standard for visible fiber coupling	No UV below 350nm
UV Fused Silica	UV / VIS / NIR (185-2100nm)	UV-compatible, high LIDT	Higher cost
Sapphire	UV / VIS / NIR (150-5500nm)	Extreme hardness, durable	Birefringent, higher cost

Not sure which material to choose?

Ask AI Optical Engineer

Optical Coating Options

AR 350-650nm

Broadband AR for visible range. R < 0.5% per surface.

Typical use: General visible laser and imaging

AR 650-950nm

AR for NIR range (780nm, 808nm, 850nm diodes).

Typical use: NIR laser diode collimation and fiber coupling

AR 950-1250nm

AR for 1064nm and nearby wavelengths.

Typical use: Nd:YAG and fiber laser systems

BBAR

Low reflection across 400-1000nm broadband.

Typical use: Multispectral applications

Uncoated

Raw glass surface. ~4% reflection per surface.

Typical use: Non-critical applications

How to Specify Your Coating

To select the right coating, please provide: (1) Operating wavelength, (2) Angle of incidence, (3) Required transmission or reflectivity, (4) Laser power density (if applicable), (5) Operating environment.

Engineering Considerations

Key factors to evaluate when specifying this optical component for your system.

Diameter and EFL

The effective focal length of a ball lens is approximately f ≈ n·D/(4(n-1)), where n is refractive index and D is diameter.

Working Distance

Very short working distance due to short focal length. Plan coupling geometry carefully.

Self-Centering

Spherical shape allows automatic centering in precision bores, simplifying mechanical design.

AR Coatings

With two spherical surfaces, AR coatings significantly improve throughput for multi-surface systems.

Applications

Fiber Optic Systems

Fiber-to-fiber coupling and fiber-to-detector interfaces.

Medical Devices

Endoscopy probes and miniature medical imaging optics.

Sensor Systems

Compact focusing for optical sensors and detectors.

Laser Systems

Miniature beam focusing and collimation in laser assemblies.

Manufacturing & Customization

PhotonEdge supports optical component sourcing, engineering review, and qualified manufacturing through our optical manufacturing network. We coordinate production, coating, and inspection to deliver components that meet your specifications.

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Prototype

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Low Volume

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Volume Production

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Custom Specification

Quality Assurance

Dimensional Inspection

Diameter, thickness, focal length verified per specification

Surface Quality

Scratch-dig inspection under calibrated illumination

Coating Verification

Spectrophotometric measurement of transmission/reflectance

Inspection documentation available according to project requirements. Certificates of Conformance, material test reports, and coating curves can be provided.

You May Also Need

Related Knowledge

Engineering Documentation

The following documentation is available upon request for qualified engineering projects:

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Dimensional Drawing

CAD & dimensional specs per your requirements

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Material Data Sheet

Material properties, transmission curves & certificates

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Coating Performance Curve

Spectrophotometric measurement data

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Inspection Report

Surface quality, flatness, centration & dimensional data

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Certificate of Conformance

CoC with full traceability per project requirements

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Custom Specification Sheet

Application-specific specification documentation

Documentation availability depends on project scope and order quantity. Request details during RFQ.

Frequently Asked Questions

What materials are available for this lens type?

We offer multiple substrate materials including N-BK7, UV Fused Silica, CaF₂, and Sapphire depending on your wavelength and environmental requirements.

Can I order custom specifications?

Yes. PhotonEdge offers custom diameters, focal lengths, coatings, and surface qualities. Custom specifications typically require 4-6 weeks lead time.

What surface quality should I specify?

40-20 is suitable for most laser and imaging applications. 20-10 is recommended for precision systems where scattering must be minimized.

What coating do I need?

The coating depends on your operating wavelength. For visible applications, AR 350-650nm is standard. For NIR lasers, choose the coating matching your wavelength. Uncoated is suitable for non-critical applications.

Do you provide inspection reports?

Yes. Dimensional reports, surface quality verification, and coating performance data are available according to project requirements.

How do I request a quote?

Click the 'Request Engineering Quote' button and provide your diameter, focal length, wavelength, coating, surface quality, and quantity.

What is a ball lens used for?

Fiber coupling, miniature optics, endoscopy, and compact optical systems requiring self-centering spherical lenses.

Not Sure Which Specification You Need?

Describe your optical system and our AI Optical Engineer will help identify the right specifications, materials, and coatings for your application.

Analyze My Requirement

Request an Engineering Quote

Provide your requirements and our engineering team will respond within 24 hours with a detailed quotation.

MaterialDiameterEffective Focal LengthWavelengthSurface QualitySphericityClear ApertureCoatings

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