Optical Flats

If you’re searching for optical flats options, look no further than Optical Filter Shop. We specialize in precision optical coating with a focus on optical filters for imaging and sensing products.

We have many years of experience engineering advanced optical coating platforms and thin films. You can come to us for everything from scalable original equipment manufacturer (OEM) production to standard filter samples, and we’ll provide solutions that meet your cost, performance and throughput requirements.

How Our Optical Flats Work and How They Can Help

If you want to measure the flatness of an optical component, you can use an optical flat. An optical flat is a flat, finely polished surface used as a reference to determine the flatness of a work surface.

Optical flats use the property of interference to measure flatness. When you place an optical flat on a work surface, an air wedge forms where the two surfaces don’t touch. The change in the air wedge’s thickness shows the shape and direction of the interference bands.

When you illuminate the surfaces with monochromatic light, you’ll see dark and light bands known as interference fringes. The shape of the interference fringes provides a visual representation of the work surface’s flatness. If the interference fringes are parallel, straight and evenly spaced, the work surface has a flatness that’s greater than or equal to the reference surface. If the interference fringes have an uneven pattern, the work surface’s flatness is less than the reference surface.

Features and Benefits of Our Optical Flats

At Optical Filter Shop, we provide optical flats made from one of two types of material:

• Fused silica: Fused silica optical flats have low thermal expansion. They are also highly durable and abrasion-resistant, making them an excellent choice for high-wear applications.
• ZERODUR^®: ZERODUR^® is a clear ceramic glass with low thermal expansion. Because ZERODUR® optical flats offer exceptional thermal stability, they are ideal for applications where temperature fluctuation is a concern.

We manufacture both types of optical flats in diameter sizes ranging from 1 inch to 6 inches and with flatness accuracies as precise as 1/20 of a wavelength. Some of our optical flats also feature an aluminum coating to increase contrast and improve your visual reference.

Applications for Optical Flats

Optical flats are versatile components that are ideal for many different applications. They are often used to inspect gauge blocks for wear and precision and test optical components like windows, filters, mirrors and prisms. You can also use them as flat optical windows in demanding interferometry applications.

Purchase Optical Flats From Optical Filter Shop Today

Optical Filter Shop is your source for high-quality optical flats. You’ll find optical flats with varying diameters, thickness and flatness to meet your specific requirements.

If you need further customizations, reach out to our sales team. We’ll work closely with you to find the best solution for your application. You can rely on us to provide optical flats that give you exceptional accuracy at prices that work for your budget.