Custom fabricated sapphire windows that are ideal for gimbaled systems which might be exposed to fast moving dirt, sand, salt water, and other particulates are available from Meller Optics, Inc.
Meller Sapphire Windows feature Moh 9 hardness which is second only to diamond and can withstand pressures to 10,000 psi, depending upon thickness. Manufactured to customer specification, they are available in sizes from 0.25” to 10.00” dia., with varying wall thicknesses, and can include stepped edges and elliptical edge shaping, holes, slots, and wedges for mounting.
Providing flatness held to 1/10th wave in the visible and < 2 arc sec. in/in parallelism, Meller Sapphire Windows for gimbaled systems can be supplied with surface finishes from 60-40 to 40-20 scratch-dig, depending upon configuration. In addition to sapphire, other materials offered include germanium and zinc selenide for applications from the mid to far IR.
Meller Optics provides custom-fabricated precision optics for drone, unmanned systems and robotics OEMs. The company manufactures rugged lenses and optical components from sapphire, as well as high-strength optical ceramics such as Spinel and Alon.
Applications
Rugged Lenses & Optics for Drones & UAVs
Meller Optics’ precision sapphire optics are ideal for front surface optics in both commercial and military drone and UAV platforms.
They can provide visual and thermal imaging sensors, gimbals and other payloads with robust protection against harsh environmental conditions including chemicals, erosion, dirt and sand, and extremes of temperature and pressure.
Custom Optical Windows, Lenses & Domes for ROV, UUV, AUV
Meller Optics’ rugged lenses, windows and domes are ideal for underwater cameras and sensors, and provide the resilience required by UUVs (unmanned underwater vehicles), ROVs (remotely operated vehicles) and AUVs (autonomous underwater vehicles) working in challenging deepwater environments. Able to withstand fast-moving particles and sand as well as pressures up to 10,000 psi, they are also highly algae-resistant thanks to their extremely smooth surfaces.
