Typical Specifications in the Optics Industry

Optical specifications are utilized throughout the design and manufacturing of a component or system to characterize how well it meets certain performance requirements. They are useful for two reasons: first, they specify the acceptable limits of key parameters that govern system performance, second, they specify the amount of resources (i.e. time and cost) that should be spent on manufacturing.

An optical system can suffer from either under-specification or over-specification, both of which can result in unnecessary expenditure of resources. Under-specification occurs when not all of the necessary parameters are properly defined, resulting in inadequate performance. Over-specification occurs when a system is defined too tightly without any consideration for changes in optical or mechanical requirements, resulting in higher cost and increased manufacturing difficulty.

In order to understand optical specifications, it is important to first review what they mean. To simplify the ever-growing number, consider the most common manufacturing, surface, and material specifications for lenses, mirrors, and windows. Filters, polarizers, prisms, beamsplitters, gratings, and fiber optics also share many of these optical specifications, so understanding the most common specifications will provide a great baseline for understanding nearly all optical products.