The Future of Objective Lens Testing

Measuring Lens Centering, Air Spacing, and Center Thickness inside of Assembled Optical Systems with ONE Instrument

OptiCentric^® 3D is an ideal solution for the complete opto-mechanical characterization of optical systems. This approach provides a tool for the evaluation of complex optical systems in R&D or routine quality inspection. The two-in-one solution for the detailed investigation of assembled objective lenses combines the OptiCentric^® centering error measurement technology with a low coherence interferometer called OptiSurf^®, measuring the air gaps between lens surfaces and the thickness of lenses within the optical system. The cross-interaction of both measuring procedures allows aligning the lens system fast and provides a significant increase of measurement accuracy and detailed quality information:

• centering errors of less 0.1 μm
  
  
• air spacing and thickness of less 1μm

OptiCentric^® 3D in Operation

1. The OptiCentric^® system determines the tilt and shift in x-y direction of the optical system with respect to a reference axis.
2. The optical system under test is aligned to the measuring axis of the low coherence interferometer OptiSurf. Only this accurate alignment enables the interferometer to determine precisely the air gaps between lenses and lens thicknesses.
3. After completing the thickness and air gap measurement, the real position data measured with OptiSurf are transferred to the MultiLens Software where they replace the design data.
4. As a result the accuracy of the data set containing the centering errors of the optical system measured by the OptiCentric^® is significantly enhanced.