High-Precision Fused Silica Spherical Lenses
Shanghai Optics manufactures custom fused silica optics, including high-precision fused silica spherical lenses featuring surface figure up to λ/10 @ 633 nm, for UV, visible, and near-infrared optical systems. Available in plano-convex, plano-concave, bi-convex, bi-concave, and meniscus configurations, our lenses deliver exceptional optical performance for demanding industrial and scientific applications.
Manufactured using premium UV-grade fused silica materials, including Corning 7980, JGS1, JGS2, and Heraeus fused silica, our spherical lenses are available with precision polishing, custom dimensions, and anti-reflection coatings to meet OEM and research requirements.
Whether you require prototype quantities or high-volume OEM production, Shanghai Optics provides custom optical manufacturing supported by advanced metrology, strict quality control, and engineering expertise from design consultation through production.
Why Choose Fused Silica?
Fused silica is one of the preferred optical materials for precision spherical lenses because of its excellent transmission, thermal stability, and laser resistance. Compared with conventional optical glass, fused silica maintains exceptional dimensional stability under temperature fluctuations while providing outstanding UV transmission from 195 nm to 2100 nm.
Key advantages include:
- Excellent UV to NIR transmission
- Low thermal expansion
- High laser damage threshold
- Excellent chemical durability
- Low fluorescence under UV illumination
- Outstanding environmental stability
These characteristics make fused silica spherical lenses an ideal choice for high-energy laser systems, UV imaging, spectroscopy, semiconductor inspection, and aerospace optical systems.
As part of Shanghai Optics’ fused silica optics portfolio, these lenses integrate seamlessly with our Fused Silica Windows and Fused Silica Aspherical Lenses to support complete optical system designs for laser, semiconductor, medical, aerospace, and scientific applications.
Applications of Fused Silica Spherical Lenses
Shanghai Optics manufactures fused silica spherical lenses for a wide range of precision optical systems.
Typical applications include:
- Laser Systems: Ideal for beam focusing, collimation, expansion, and scanning in UV and high-power laser systems where excellent transmission and high laser damage resistance are required.
- Semiconductor: Excellent optical homogeneity and UV transmission make fused silica spherical lenses ideal for wafer inspection, UV lithography, semiconductor metrology, and precision optical inspection systems.
- Medical & Life Science: Low fluorescence and excellent optical clarity support fluorescence microscopy, endoscopy, medical imaging, laser surgery, and biomedical research.
- Scientific Research: Used in spectroscopy, laboratory instrumentation, optical metrology, and precision research systems requiring stable optical performance.
- Aerospace & Defense: Excellent thermal stability and environmental durability make fused silica spherical lenses suitable for EO/IR imaging, sensor optics, and space-qualified optical assemblies.
Industries
As a manufacturer of custom fused silica optics, Shanghai Optics supplies fused silica spherical lenses for customers in:
- Semiconductor Manufacturing
- Medical Devices
- Aerospace & Space
- Defense
- Scientific Research
- Machine Vision
- Laser Manufacturing
- Optical Instrumentation
Material Comparison
| Material | UV Transmission | Thermal Stability | Laser Resistance | Typical Applications |
| Fused Silica | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | UV lasers, semiconductor, aerospace |
| BK7 | Moderate | Good | Moderate | General optical systems |
| Sapphire | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Harsh environments |
| CaF₂ | Excellent | Moderate | Good | UV and infrared systems |
Not sure which optical material is right for your application? Our optical engineers can recommend the optimal substrate based on wavelength, laser power, environmental conditions, coating requirements, and optical performance goals.
Factory Standard
Specification | Standard | Benefit |
Material | Corning 7980, JGS1, JGS2, Heraeus | Multiple substrate options |
Surface Figure | λ/10 @ 633 nm | High imaging accuracy |
Surface Quality | 20-10 | Laser-quality finish |
Concentricity | 0.05 mm | Improved alignment |
Clear Aperture | >85% | Higher usable optical area |
The specifications above represent our standard manufacturing capabilities. Custom dimensions, focal lengths, tolerances, surface quality, coatings, and other optical specifications are available upon request.
Custom Manufacturing
Shanghai Optics provides complete custom manufacturing services for fused silica spherical lenses, including:- Custom diameters
- Custom lens geometries
- Custom focal lengths
- Radius optimization
- Edge treatment
- Precision polishing
- UV, VIS & NIR AR coatings
- Prototype production
- OEM manufacturing
- Volume production
Frequently Asked Questions About Fused Silica Spherical Lenses
Why choose fused silica spherical lenses instead of BK7 lenses?
Fused silica offers higher UV transmission, lower thermal expansion, and better laser damage resistance than BK7. It is the preferred material for UV laser systems, semiconductor equipment, spectroscopy, and other applications requiring excellent optical stability.
What wavelength range do fused silica spherical lenses support?
Fused silica spherical lenses provide excellent transmission from 195 nm to 2100 nm, making them suitable for UV, visible, and near-infrared applications. Shanghai Optics offers Corning 7980, JGS1, JGS2, and Heraeus fused silica based on your application requirements.
What types of fused silica spherical lenses are available?
We manufacture plano-convex, plano-concave, bi-convex, bi-concave, and meniscus fused silica spherical lenses. Custom diameters, focal lengths, surface quality, and optical coatings are available for prototype and OEM production.
What coatings are available for fused silica spherical lenses?
Our lenses are available uncoated or with UV, visible, broadband, and NIR anti-reflection coatings. Custom coating designs are also available to optimize transmission and laser performance for your application.
What industries use fused silica spherical lenses?
Fused silica spherical lenses are widely used in semiconductor manufacturing, laser systems, medical imaging, aerospace, scientific research, machine vision, and optical instrumentation where high optical precision and thermal stability are required.
Can Shanghai Optics manufacture custom fused silica spherical lenses?
Yes. We provide custom manufacturing with flexible options for diameter, focal length, surface quality, coatings, edge treatment, and OEM production. Our engineering team supports projects from prototype development to high-volume manufacturing.
What is the difference between fused silica and UV-grade fused silica?
UV-grade fused silica is manufactured with higher purity and offers superior ultraviolet transmission with extremely low fluorescence. It is commonly used in UV lasers, spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, and semiconductor inspection systems.
How do I choose the right fused silica spherical lens?
The ideal lens depends on your wavelength, focal length, lens diameter, coating, and operating environment. Our optical engineers can recommend or design a custom solution based on your application requirements.
What other fused silica optics does Shanghai Optics manufacture?
Shanghai Optics manufactures a complete portfolio of fused silica optics, including Fused Silica Windows, Fused Silica Aspherical Lenses, and custom fused silica optical components for laser, semiconductor, medical, aerospace, and scientific applications.
Need Custom Fused Silica Optics?
Whether you’re developing a laser system, semiconductor equipment, scientific instrument, or aerospace optical system, Shanghai Optics manufactures custom fused silica optics, including Fused Silica Spherical Lenses, Fused Silica Aspherical Lenses, and Fused Silica Windows, to meet your exact application requirements.
Our optical engineers can help you select the optimal substrate, lens geometry, focal length, coating, and manufacturing tolerances to achieve the optical performance your system requires—from prototype development through high-volume OEM production.
Need help?
We offer consultations and initial feasibility studies. If you have questions about limitations or lens capabilities we’re more than happy to work through your proposed custom components. As an unmatched custom optical provider, we’ll do everything that we can bring your vision to life.
