Cylindrical lenses are a type of lens that have differing radii in the X and Y axes, causing the lens to have a cylindrical or semi-cylindrical shape, and image magnification in only a single axis. Cylindrical lenses are commonly used as laser line generators, or to adjust image height size or correct for astigmatism in imaging systems.Cylindrical lenses are made of specified optical class material, and special focusing systems can be designed upon request.
Positive cylindrical lenses are ideal for applications requiring magnification in only one dimension. While spherical lenses focus an incident ray symmetrically, cylindrical lenses act in the same manner but in only one dimension. Typical applications include line generation with laser diodes, focusing a diverging beam onto a linear detector array or using a pair of cylindrical lenses to collimate and circularize the output of a laser diode.
| LENSES | ILLUSTRATION | PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS |
| CYLINDRICAL LENS | Used to provide focusing power in one section only. For illumination or detection of light from line sources. Also used for anamorphic compression of beams and images. |
| ATTRIBUTE | COMMERCIAL | HIGH PRECISION |
| MATERIAL | N-BK7, H-K9L, Fused silica, CaF2, Sapphire or Specified | |
| DIAMETER TOLERANCE | +0.0, 0.15mm | +0.0, 0.05mm |
| PARAXIAL FOCAL LENGTH | ±2% | ±0.5% |
| CENTRATION | <3' | <1' |
| CLEAR APERTURE | 80% | 90% |
| SURFACE QUALITY | 60-40 scratch and dig | 10-5 scratch and dig |
| SURFACE IRREGULARITY | < λ/4 | < λ/8 |
| PROTECTIVE BEVEL | 0.25 + 0.25, -0.0mm | 0.2 ± 0.1mm |
