Edmund Optics®’s Nebular™ Technology won Gold-Level 2020 LFW Innovators Award

Edmund Optics® announced that Nebular™ Technology, a process for creating nanostructured anti-reflective laser optics with a high laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT), was awarded a Gold-Level 2020 Laser Focus World (LFW) Innovators Award in the optics category. Honorees of the LFW Innovators Awards are recognized for originality, answering an unmet need in the market, and positively impacting system integrators or end users.

Nebular™ Technology is an alternative to traditional thin-film anti-reflection (AR) coatings that is ideal for high-power laser applications. Subwavelength structures are etched into the surface of optical components rather than depositing coating layers. This leads to near-bulk laser LIDT and high broadband transmission. These surfaces achieve similar reflectivities as high-end, thin-film, anti-reflection coatings while operating over a significantly wider wavelength range.

No coating materials are added to the optical surfaces, which means the LIDT of surfaces featuring Nebular™ Technology can approach that of the uncoated substrate, which is significantly higher than the vast majority of conventional coatings. This is beneficial for high-power laser applications of all pulse durations ranging from continuous-wave (CW) to ultrafast lasers. Laser-induced damage in surfaces with Nebular™ Technology also does not propagate, unlike damage in thin films. This makes damage much more localized with a minimal impact on performance, avoiding the component failure experienced from damage propagation in thin-film coatings.

For more information, please visit http://www.edmundoptics.com.