Germanium windows, Germanium lenses

Alkor Technologies - manufacturer of Germanium windows and Germanium lenses for thermography and pyrometry.

Alkor manufactures:

• IR Germanium windows up to 200 mm diameter;
  
• IR Germanium lenses with any focal length;
  
• Custom Germanium Optics with BBAR coating 2-14mkm, 8-14mkm;
  
• Bandpass filters (Ge substrate).

See Also: Silicon optics; ZnSe optics

Alkor is one of the largest Russian manufacturer of Germanium optics with 20 years experience. Germanium windows and lenses by Alkor are widely used in IR sensors, thermal image and medical applications, in pyrometry and thermography, FLIR cameras all over the world.

Germanium transmission. Window thickness 10mm.

Germanium is used widely for lenses and windows in thermal imaging and FLIR applications. Its high index of refraction (about 4) makes it of particular interest. Useful transmission range of Germanium windows is from 2 to 13mkm. Germanium is opaque in the visible. Germanium has the property of thermal runaway, meaning that the transmission decreases as temperature increases. As such, Germanium window should be used at temperatures below 100°C. The Knoop Hardness of Germanium (780) is approximately twice that of Magnesium Fluoride, making it ideal for IR applications requiring rugged optics. Germanium’s high density (5.33 g/cm^3) should be considered when designing for weight-sensitive systems.

Custom germanium windows and germanium lenses are available in any size and configuration. Anti-reflection coatings can be applied for 2-14mkm or 8-14mkm (BBAR coating) depending on your custom application.