Alps Electric has developed the FLGS3 series aspherical glass lens for optical communication. The lens is compatible with wide-angle laser diodes. Transceiver modules employing glass lenses are suitable for optical communication, in submarine cables and base stations. Aspherical glass lenses, in particular, are suitable for transmitting light signals to optical fibre and have recently been incorporated into palm-size projectors. The aspherical glass lenses measure 1×1mm2.
The company expanded the NA (numerical aperture) of the lens from 0.5x0.1 to 0.65×0.13, which is a measure of light transmission efficiency from 68 to 73%. The lens is claimed to be suitable for high-brightness projector applications. The lens is made from lead-free glass, achieving compliance with both RoHS 6 and REACH regulations. The optical glass is compatible with standard optical communication wavelengths of 1260 to 1625nm and visible light option is also available.
