ULO Optics
As one of the top infrared optics manufacturers in the world, ULO Optics have been designing, manufacturing and supplying CO2 laser optics, and mid-IR optics for thermal imaging and sensing since 1982. Based in the UK outside of London, the company offers a variety of standard and custom requirements to end users to large laser manufacturers to OEMs.
On-Trak is ULO’s distribution partner for North America.
ULO's Products
ULO Optics manufactures a wide range of laser components including CO₂ lenses, CO₂ mirrors, CO₂ cavity optics, and f-Theta scanner optics. The company uses the latest high performance coatings including the UltraLO AR/AR coating for high-power lasers.
ULO Optics also manufactures a range of CO₂ beam delivery systems for industrial applications. The company is leading the drive to make sophisticated beam delivery equipment much more affordable without compromising quality.
Beam Delivery
The CO2mpact range from ULO Optics is a cost-effective solution to beam delivery that is easy to understand, easy to use, and easy to order.
Laser users require high quality, low maintenance beam delivery components priced in proportion to their laser investment. Complex beam delivery systems can prove to be costly if a skilled technician is required to spend many hours on alignment and maintenance. The CO2mpact range has been specifically designed to address this issue.
CO2mpact is a complete series of products that fulfil beam handling requirements from the laser mount to the nozzle tip. The units have clear apertures up to 19mm and are suitable for lasers up to 500W.
The range includes standard items like mirror blocks, nozzles, tubes, shutter units and also more advanced products like reflection isolators and manual attenuators. The CO2mpact Beam Delivery System is available for 10.6 µm and for 9.3 µm lasers.
Almost all parts can be delivered immediately from our stock. As part of our standard service, ULO checks every inquiry to ensure all parts will connect together and make a complete system.
Beam Delivery System for sub 500w Lasers
As the name suggests, COMPACT beam delivery is intended for small CO2 lasers, in this case, up to 500W power and with beams up to about 12mm diameter. From the laser output to the work piece, the beam delivery consists of components that enable the beam to be handled with efficiency. The parts are easily assembled with the aid of the thread inserts and the system can be firmly secured to a bench top with the pipe supports.
The system is customized to your specific requirements. Please contact On-Trak for additional detail.
Example of an assembled Beam Delivery System. From top left to bottom right: laser mount, attenuator, beam expander, pipe with pipe support, shutter, beam injector, corner mirror block, extender pipe, fine focusing unit, centering cell, lens and nozzle assembly.
BEAM EXPANDERS
Beam expanders (laser beam expanders also known as collimators or up-collimators) typically are used in systems with a long beam path to keep the beam collimated, or to vary the focus spot size for a given focusing lens. Various magnifications are available, but it is important to ensure that the input and output beams clear the apertures.
Beam expanders are useful in a variety of applications including interferometry, laser scanning and remote sensing.
The CO2mpact beam expander has a slide and lock focus setting. The normal setting is infinity. It can be changed to fit certain beam parameters. To keep the beam path enclosed the output should be coupled to an adjustable beam tube to maintain an overall fixed length.
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Focus adjustable beam expanders
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Zoom beam expanders
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Available for 10.6 µm and 9.3 µm
CO2 LASER OPTICS
As the leading European manufacturer of infrared optics, ULO Optics supplies a full range of optics for CO2 laser manufacturers and for CO2laser users. Whether it’s f-Theta lenses for low power scanner based systems, or replacement lenses for high power cutting systems, ULO will have the right optics for your laser.
The company’s low cost, high quality replacement CO2 Laser Optics are manufactured from ZnSe (Zinc Selenide), Silicon (Si), Copper (Cu), as well as Zinc Sulphide (ZnS) and Germanium (Ge).
The company supplies from stock, but ULO Optics can also offer custom designs should you require something that is not part of our standard range.
Field Size
Spot diameter (s.d.)*
s.d.* = Standard deviation
Spot diameter is determined from optical computation and are not measured values from marking or engraving. The width of an engraved line is affected by laser power, material, scan speed, etc and is normally less than the values listed here.
Should smaller spot sizes be required for the same focusing lens, we recommend the use of multi-element lenses, or of our larger diameter singlets
CYLINDRICAL LENSES
A cylindrical lens is typically used to focus, condense or expand incoming light. A cylindrical lens has one cylindrical surface, causing light to be focused in a single dimension or axis. It can also be used to expand the output of a laser diode into a symmetrical beam. Cylindrical lenses are technically more difficult to manufacture than spherical or flat lenses which is why ULO Optics use state-of-the-art polishing techniques alongside stringent lens assessment to manufacture each lens.
A cylindrical lens is typically rectangular, square or circular and of either a plano-convex or plano-concave design. ULO’s cylindrical lenses combine low wedge with high surface accuracy. We assess the quality of each individual lens using Trioptics centration measurement and a Zygo GPI interferometer. All ULO lenses are available both uncoated or coated with a broad range of high durability, low loss AR coatings and can manufactured to 20-10 surface roughness.
Applications
A cylindrical lens can be used in a broad range industrial, research and OEM applications. Typically, they are used in:
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Spectroscopy
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Holography
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Laser scanning optical metrology
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Acousto-optic and laser diode applications
Lenses will often need to be custom-made to suit the application. ULO Optics offers semi- custom and fully custom-made cylindrical lenses. ULO’s experts offer full support to take you from proof of concept through to volume manufacturing.
Please contact us for additional detail on these products and others