Optics for Defence Applications
What can OPTOMAN
do for the defence market?
Highly repeatable laser optics with enhanced LIDT in various environments
DEL weapons
These systems use kW or even MW power lasers, that require laser optics to have very high LIDT, while also being large (even up to 500mm)
Missile and drone detectors, rangefinders
For this application laser optics must be very precise to give the most accurate distance or other information. Moreover, the repeatability and lifetime of laser optics are also crucial.
Lidar
High-resolution mapping and navigation require high precision. Additionally, repeatability in manufacturing these optics ensures that each lidar system operates with the same level of accuracy.
FAQ
What makes OPTOMAN different from other optics manufacturers?
OPTOMAN’s mission is to be Your Sidekick for Laser Optics Development. Our core value is the desire to make application-optimised and highly customised solutions for you collaboratively and do that with ultrafast turnaround, being quick to react, consult and serve your optics needs.
OPTOMAN is completely concentrated on Ion-Beam Sputtering Technology (IBS) using solely in-house manufacturing capabilities run by highly skilled professionals, enabling OPTOMAN to increase the longevity and reliability of our partners’ laser systems, eventually resulting in a lower total cost of ownership.
How can we be sure that OPTOMAN optics will fit our Business needs?
OPTOMAN digs deep into each application, providing highly customised and application-optimised solutions that will fit your business needs.
Together, we will be able to set the priorities that are most important for your application and needs, whether it is reaching fundamental limitations, proving the concept, or making a well-balanced industrial high runner. We keep an open discussion about main price drivers and help customers optimise BOM costs while maintaining the highest quality level.
Why Ion-Beam Sputtering Technology (IBS)?
IBS is an inherently stable sputtering process that enables OPTOMAN to make highly repeatable laser optics that feature bulk-like coating density, negligible scattering, high resistance to laser irradiation and advanced spectral performance. OPTOMAN chose to focus on this technology, seeing it as the most suitable tool to enable higher laser energy levels and further advancements in laser technology.
We already use IBS-coated optics, so why should we consider OPTOMAN?
Laser optics manufacturing is a more complicated process than choosing the right substrates and coating materials and uploading the coating design to the IBS machine. The right intermedium between the coating design and coating chamber is essential, and that intermedium is human with the know-how.
OPTOMAN is driven by highly skilled professionals who aim to maximise the value of IBS-coated optics for you with an ultrafast turnaround. OPTOMAN defence market development manager, together with highly skilled coating engineers, is ready to consult you and provide highly customised and application-optimised solutions.
Is it possible to test the optics, and how scalable is the production?
Yes. Based on the customer’s presented business case, OPTOMAN, with its R&D-driven attitude and collaborative approach, can design, develop, and manufacture products for testing purposes and present a plan for serial production. Different-size IBS coating chambers are very handy in this case because small-scale production can be easily transferred to our giant IBS machine – Albert (the atom smasher), where we can coat large optics or 400-500 units of 1“ laser optics in a single coating run, ensuring high uniformity, meaning that all mirrors will work the same making your laser systems highly repeatable and reliable too.
Moreover, our in-stock optics marketplace, OPTOSHOP, features over 400 different laser optics made with love by OPTOMAN. These optics can be provided for testing directly from stock and delivered in 1-3 business days. After successful tests, OPTOMAN can present the most optimal production plan matching your business needs.
We are in the R&D phase; could OPTOMAN help at this stage?
We consider ourselves trailblazers of IBS-based optics manufacturing. We are eager to innovate in the field, so your RnD challenges are our best tasks. The passion for creating something new and our team’s satisfaction from seeing the solutions implemented are huge rewards. We have versatile manufacturing equipment suitable for prototyping and, later on, scalable mass production of thousands of units per day.
Capabilities
Spectral performance
OPTOMAN’s coatings can offer transmittance exceeding 99.98% for AR/AR coated components and reflectance of R>99.995% for high reflective coatings.
Repeatability
OPTOMAN understands the importance of repeatability, has many metrology processes, and ensures that each optic works as promised. Read more in tech note about repeatability.
Lifetime
OPTOMAN is invested in prolonging the lifetime of optics, no color-change effect and enhanced lifetime (over 10000h at some wavelengths) that at certain wavelengths can be backed up with lifetime measurements.
LIDT
OPTOMAN’s coatings can withstand extremely powerful laser beams, with a threshold exceeding >426 kW/cm @ 1070nm, CW for HR coatings. This makes them suitable for high-power laser systems. You can find more LIDT measurements on our LIDT capabilities page.
Large optics
The capability of manufacturing large optics is paramount for DEL weapons. OPTOMAN has one of the largest IBS chambers in the world and is capable of manufacturing laser optics up to ⌀ 420 mm.
Wavelength range
OPTOMAN is capable of manufacturing all types of laser optics with wavelengths ranging from 193 to 5000 nm. Moreover, OPTOMAN has put in a lot of effort in the Mid-IR spectral range, with knowledge in handling different substrates. Learn more about Mid-IR optics in tech note.
Application optimised products
Direct Energy Laser Weapons (DELW) differ in size, wavelength, powers and other important specifications that require optics manufacturer to customize mirrors for this application. Some typical core requirements for mirrors for DELW:
- Large aperture
- Wide angle (AOI) acceptance
- High LIDT
DESIGN EXAMPLE #1
IBS-coated laser mirrors feature high reflectivity and LIDT values as well as low absorption, making them a perfect choice for defence applications.
Coating (IBS):
HRa >99.95% @ 1035-1075 nm + HRa >99% @ 1550 nm + HRa>99% @ 915 nm, AOI = 45°
Absorption within coating < 5 ppm @ 1064 nm
DESIGN EXAMPLE #2
Typically mirrors used for DELW are multiwavelength. 1064nm, which is associated with Nd:YAG lasers is responsible for high power laser beam, 1550nm is used for communication purposes, while reflectivity at 633nm – wavelength of HeNe laser is to ensure alignment that is made at visible range.
Coating (IBS):
Ravg > 99.95% @ 1064nm + Ravg > 97% @ 1550nm + Rmin >20% @ 633nm, AOI = 4 – 14°
Missile guidance systems, detectors and rangefinders typically operate in the Mid-IR spectral range, commonly used for thermal emissions detection.
OPTOMAN offers low loss AR coated windows with Mid-IR suitable substrate materials (IR fused silica, CaF2, Sapphire, Germanium, Silicon, ZnSe). Windows are suitable for IR detectors (InSb, HgCdTe, InGaAs), SWIR laser designators, MWIR thermal cameras, infrared search and track (IRST) systems.
Design example
IBS solves key problems for Mid-IR coatings by:
- Improving coating density, ensuring long-term durability in harsh and dynamic environments.
- Minimising absorption losses, which helps optimise the output power of lasers.
- Improving LIDT and enabling operation at high-power levels.
Coating (IBS):
AR<0.1% @ 3400 – 5300 nm, AOI = 0°
Missile guidance systems operate under extreme conditions, requiring optics that can withstand high temperatures, mechanical stress, and harsh environments.
A major challenge is ensuring that optical components can provide reliable, high-transmission performance across specific infrared wavelengths, such as 1550 nm, which is critical for target acquisition and laser communication, while also offering high reflection in other wavelength ranges for specific laser guidance needs.
OPTOMAN optics are designed to resist thermal degradation and offer exceptional optical precision, which is critical for maintaining the integrity of laser pulses used in missile guidance.
Design example
IBS solves key problems for Mid-IR coatings by:
- Improving coating density, ensuring long-term durability in harsh and dynamic environments.
- Minimizing absorption losses, which helps optimize the output power of lasers.
- Improving LIDT and enabling operation at high-power levels.
Coating (IBS):
HRp>99.8% @ 1900-2700 nm + HT>97% @ 1550 nm, AOI=0-5°
Certification
Here's what
our clients say
OPTOMAN helps us to scale our business. From standard mirrors to custom coatings - OPTOMAN delivers the highest quality with fast response times.
CEO at Class 5
OPTOMAN helped improving our 3 µm laser device efficiency due to the exceptional transmission performance of their coatings at that challenging wavelength.
R&D Team Lead Laser - Optics - Lab
We are very satisfied with the quality of OPTOMAN's mirrors. After months and even years of use there is no sign of coating degradation, which is a sign of their good work. In addition to this, we also highly appreciate their eagerness to develop custom coatings for us, the clarity and accuracy of their communications, and the high speed in processing our requests. Definitely, OPTOMAN is one of our main mirror suppliers.
Dr. Juan B. Gonzalez-Diaz, Laser Engineer at DESY
OPTOMAN’s 0-45° mirrors ULLM19 and dual-wavelength ultrafast mirrors (1030+515 nm) have been extremely useful to our work. Both products deliver exceptional performance and quality!
Anne-Lise Viotti, Assistant Professor at Lund University
OPTOMAN's expertise and reactivity have made them our trusted partner for developing dispersion-controlled optics at unique wavelengths.
Clement Ferchaud, Extreme Light Consortium, Imperial College London, UK
The OPTOMAN optics perform excellently in facilitating high-power, high-energy, and ultrafast Yb lasers, which provides a strong foundation for its application in high flux EUV generation and attosecond spectroscopy.
Xiaochun Gong, College of Optical Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, China
Laser engineers from defence companies appreciate OPTOMAN‘s transparency and reliability the most.
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