Debris Shields, Turret Windows, Vacuum Windows, and more.
Custom Optical Window Fabrication
Optical windows are typically fabricated from two flat, or commonly referred to as plano, polished surfaces that are optically transparent and intended to separate, seal, or otherwise protect other components. The double-sided manufacturing process yields exceptional parallelism and transmitted wavefront making it ideal for visible windows in industrial and biomedical applications, as well as IR windows in infrared and military/defense applications.
Based upon decades of experience, and expertise in medical, defense, industrial and scientific fields, and with the largest collection of double-sided grinding and polishing machines in North America, Sydor Optics can fabricate and manufacture custom IR, UV and visible windows in a variety of custom sizes, shapes, and substrates.
Our capabilities include:
High-Volume Capabilities
Exceptional Parallelism and Transmitted Wavefront
Diameter up to 750mm
Thickness up to 100mm
Available Optical Substrate Types
Based upon customer demand, Sydor Optics offers Optical Windows made from the following optical substrate materials. Of course, if you don’t see a material you need, please contact a Sales Engineer, who will gladly discuss additional options that may be available.
Crystal
Optical crystals are glass-like materials grown from high-purity raw materials. The most common crystals include calcium fluoride—effective for UV-spectrum applications—and magnesium fluoride, which is useful for mid-wave IR applications.
Borosilicate glass, also called display glass, offers a combination of excellent light transmission and impressive technical properties. Made of silicon oxide and boron oxide, display glass is easily laser- or CNC-machined. In addition to having excellent chemical resistance, the material possesses a low coefficient of thermal expansion, meaning that it can resist high temperatures without cracking.
Fused Quartz is made using high quality, natural quartz powders with several fusion methods. Quartz material is stronger than glass, can be used at high temperatures (<1050°C) and has a high average transmission of over 80% from 260nm to 2500nm. The various qualities of fused quartz allow for use in a wide range of applications from semiconductor applications to lower precision window applications in hostile environments.
Fused silica is a transparent glass formed by melting and cooling pure silica sand. Unlike most other glasses, fused silica does not contain any additives. It is an amorphous solid with a purity that gives it excellent optical transmission.
Infrared materials produce good transmission in the infrared (IR) spectrum, which spans 0.75 μm to 15µm. Infrared materials are commonly selected for their transmission properties in the NIR (0.75µm – 1µm), SWIR (1µm – 2.7µm), MWIR (3µm – 5µm) or LWIR (8µm – 12µm) spectral sub-regions. The most common IR materials are silicon, germanium, sapphire, zinc sulfide, and zinc selenide.
Low expansion glass-ceramics are characterized by a near-zero coefficient of thermal expansion and excellent resistance to thermal shock. These materials have high purity and chemical stability, with minimal internal stress.
Optical glass is known for its high transmission, low dispersion, and homogenous refraction indices. These properties result from the continuous melting process and subsequent finishing methods used to create optical glass.
This material is categorized into either flint glass or crown glass. Flint glass has an Abbe number < 55 and generally < 50. Flint glass is denser due to the inclusion of various metal oxides and exhibits strong chromatic dispersion. Crown glass has an Abbe number> 50 and generally > 55. Crown glass is typically less dense resulting from higher usage of alkali metals and exhibits low chromatic dispersion.
Transmitted Wavefront Error (TWE) – before coating *Interferometric Scale Factor (ISF) of 0.5 – Single-Pass
≥ 1/20 wave over clear aperture
Clear Aperture
≤ 95%
Types of Optical Windows
Visible Windows
Visible windows are designed for use in the visible spectrum: the type of light visible to the human eye. Visible windows are ideal for protecting optical systems and other optical components, imaging or display systems, or other applications. Sydor Optics can custom manufacture visible windows in a variety of shapes, sizes, and substrates for various optics applications, including those with extreme temperatures or other challenging conditions. AR coating is available for one or both surfaces.
Infrared (IR) Windows
Infrared windows are often used in FLIR, FTIR spectroscopy, medical systems, thermal imaging, or other optics applications within the infrared light spectrum. IR windows can help protect your employees and equipment. Sydor Optics can custom manufacture IR windows in a variety of shapes, sizes, substrates, and coatings for various infrared applications. AR coating is available for one or both surfaces.
Ultraviolet Windows
Ultraviolet windows are often used with laser instruments or other applications in medical, industrial and defense areas. Sydor Optics can help determine the best substrates, UV coatings, and other optical properties and custom manufacture UV windows to best meet your specific requirements and applications. Anti-Reflective (AR) coating is available for one or both surfaces.
Window Shapes
Sydor Optics can manufacture custom optical windows — with various shapes and sizes — using CNC Glass Machining or Laser Machining capabilities to meet your specific needs.
Some of the standard optical window shapes that Sydor Optics customers frequently order include:
Circular Windows
Square Windows
Rectangular Windows
Elliptical Windows
Optical Window Applications
Debris Shields
Gimbal Windows
Instrument Windows
Laser Windows
Protective Windows
Sensor/EO Windows
Sight Windows
Vacuum Windows
Viewing Windows
If you are starting a new program or need assistance, please contact us.
High-Volume Capabilities 
