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Find out more about our custom optical domes
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At Knight Optical, we specialise in delivering custom optical domes tailored to meet your unique requirements.
Our optical domes are renowned for their remarkable transmission and robust durability, attributes that are particularly crucial for applications like underwater imaging.
When it comes to substrate selection, we offer a variety of materials, each with its own advantages depending on the application:
- N-BK7 (or its equivalent) serves as a sturdy, cost-efficient choice for VIS to NIR applications. It boasts high transmission rates between 300-2000nm and is virtually devoid of any bubbles or inclusions. We offer precision optical domes made from N-BK7 directly from stock, ranging from 25mm to 100mm in diameter. For those seeking larger sizes, custom optical domes can be manufactured with diameters exceeding 350mm.
- UV fused silica is an optimal choice for wavelengths below 400nm, as it transmits all the way down to 180nm. Our stock includes 50mm and 100mm UVFS domes.
- Sapphire stands out for its rugged properties, making it an ideal candidate for harsh environments where softer materials might risk damage. This material is often the go-to for protective optical domes that need to withstand high levels of pressure.
- Acrylic offers a lightweight and cost-effective option, especially for bulk production. We can supply acrylic dome optics up to 2m in diameter, and flanges can be incorporated to assist with the mounting process. Hyper hemisphere domes are also available.
- Moulded glass, including filter glass, can be the perfect solution when your optical glass dome specifications are more specialised.
- Optical domes can also be manufactured in materials transmitting in the UV and IR regions. This includes materials such as germanium, silicon, zinc selenide, and zinc sulphide.
Precision optical domes are used in a variety of industries including subsea, aerospace, military and meteorology. They are most often used as protective optic as their hemispherical shape makes them naturally stronger in high-pressure environments and also allows for a wider field of view when compared to their flat window counterparts. Further, critically, they do not disrupt the optical path.
Speak to our experts about your Custom Optical Domes needs today
Call +44 (0)1622 859444 Call +1 401 583 7846Make a quick enquiry about Custom Domes Now
Dive into the forefront of optical solutions. Got questions about an optical product? Reach out now and let our expertise guide you.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What are Optical Domes and What is Their Primary Function?
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An optical dome is an optical component which is typically designed to protect an optical system such as cameras and sensors. Manufactured from glass or acrylic, optical domes offer protection, due to their naturally strong shape, as well as allowing light to transmit to and from the protected optical system.
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How Does an Optical Glass Dome Differ from Other Types?
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An optical glass dome is purely an optical dome manufactured from glass substrates such as N-BK7 and fused silica, rather than materials such as acrylic.
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What are Custom Optical Domes and How Can They be Tailored?
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A custom optical dome has been manufactured to our client’s own requirements. At Knight Optical we can provide domes in a variety of materials, including N-BK7, sapphire, UV fused silica, and acrylic, we can offer large diameters, and have a coating applied to optimise the performance.
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What Makes Precision Optical Domes Special?
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A precision optical dome is characterised by its high quality, and consequent optimal performance, which is most often achieved with tight tolerances and material selection. Knight Optical can provide precision optical domes manufactured to our customer’s specifications.
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What is the Role of a Protective Optical Dome?
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A protective optical dome, due to its shape, offers both a good field of view and durability both of which make this optical component an ideal protective casing over optical systems. They are often used in applications such as underwater imaging as they can withstand the pressure that they are exposed to deep underwater, but also offer excellent optical clarity with minimal distortions.
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Is Dome Optic Another Term for Optical Domes?
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Yes, the term dome optic can be used interchangeably with optical dome, however in the optics field the term “optical dome” is more commonly used and widely recognised.
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Additional Information
Flange can be added
In the case of moulded optical domes, it’s worth noting that a flange can be integrated into the design to facilitate the mounting process. This additional feature enhances the ease of installation, making it a convenient option for various applications.
Coatings
AR coating
An anti-reflective (AR) coating can be meticulously applied to either the interior or exterior surface of the dome optic window. This enhances the optical dome’s performance by minimising reflections, thereby optimising the transmission of light for your specific application.
Specialist coatings
We also offer more specialist coatings for our optical domes, including hydrophobic, oleophobic and DLC. Enquire today to find out more.
Typical Applications
LiDAR systems
Pyrometers (0.15-4µm) and Pyrgeometers (4-100µm).
Underwater cameras
Unmanned Automated Vehicles (UAVs)
Capabilities
Available Stock
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With our in-house state-of-the-art metrology laboratory you can be confident that your optical components will meet your requirements. You can find out more about our testing facilities here.
Operating for over 30 years
Knight Optical has been operating for over 30 years, with our managing director Colin Overton at the helm. Over this time, we have become a global leader in the production and distribution of scientific optical components and bringing quality into focus for all of our products and services that we provide.
Our 2022/2023 Catalogue
Inside Knight Optical’s catalogue you’ll find details of the industries we serve as well as the many other services we can offer. It also showcases hundreds of our most popular products, supported by useful technical information, to help you choose the right part for your application.
Click below to view our digital catalogue now.