The market and application of optical materials

In recent ten years, with the development of modern optics, optoelectronics and information technology, there has been a kind of photoelectric digital products and information products with high technical content, difficult fabrication and excellent optical performance. This kind of optical material we called new optical materials. It is generally referred to as lanthanum optical glass, environmental protection series of optical glass, low melting point and phosphate optical glass.

Photoelectric information technology has achieved great success over the past 10 years. In order to adapt to this rapid development, we must seek new breakthroughs in the wider frontier, such as transmission, switching, data storage and display technology.Due to the combination of modern optical and electronic industries, information technology and communication technology, the application of optoelectronic technology, photonic technology, electronic industrial technology in optical manufacturing break through the traditional concept.For example, from imaging components to functional components and from passive components to active components. At present, aspherical and diffractive optical element, WDM devices with ultra high precision thin film processing technology，the ultra high precision optical elements with Ultra high precision optical elements technology dominate the mainstream in the new generation of optical elements. In a sense, the current photon technology is still in the development stage.

At present, there are dozens of kinds of optical materials: colorless optical glass and coloured optical glass, the infrared optical materials, optical crystal, optical quartz glass, artificial optical quartz crystal, microcrystalline glass, optical plastic optical fiber, aviation organic glass, milky white diffused glass and the liquid material, etc. Optical glass is used most frequently in imaging elements. The quality of plastic lenses can meet the quality requirements of glass lenses in many places, especially in the glasses industry. It has a tendency to replace glass lenses in some extent. However, due to its low refractive index, high scattering, inhomogeneity and other limitations, its use is not as extensive as optical glass.

In order to reduce costs and enhance competitiveness, the global photoelectric industry is shifting to China. Among them, Japan's Canon, Olympus, Ricoh, Nikon, Meiolar, SONY and other companies have turned their digital cameras, LCD projectors and other products into the coastal areas of mainland China.

Environmental protection series of optical glass

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, the developed countries have promulgated and implemented environmental protection law. If the harmful effects of lead oxide and arsenic oxide are prohibited in the glass, environmental optical glass must be used in optical instruments and photoelectric products.In order to achieve this, in recent years, the major manufacturers of optical glass in the world have developed a variety of environmental protection optical glass. Japan's OHARA company has provided the market with 31 varieties of lead-free, arsenic free optical glass since 1993. The environmental optical glass produced in 1996 has reached 93 varieties. In 1997, there were no lead and arsenic in the optical glass of 111 varieties in the catalogue. These kinds of optical glass are already in the leading position in the world.HOYA, a Japanese company, produces 101 products. The company has launched 31 varieties of green glass since 1994. In 2002, the environmental protection optical glass with no lead and no arsenic has been realized.

Germany's SHOTT company began developing environmentally friendly glass in the 1980s. In 2000, 67 varieties belonged to lead-free and arsenic free environmental protection optical glass in the 87 varieties of the product list.Therefore, the environmental protection of optical glass has become an inevitable trend of the development of the world optical materials industry.Considering the chemical stability, high refractive index, high dispersion and price, it is necessary to add PbO to the ordinary optical glass to improve its performance.Considering the improvement of atmosphere condition and clarification of defoaming,As2O3 should be added in ordinary optical glass.Titanium oxide belongs to valence oxide and it added too much will make production technology more difficult.The above situations can result in the decrease of the penetration rate in the short wave range, the opacity of the glass and ,the loss of resistance to glass, transparency and defoaming.In particular, the platinum-melting crucible can easily contaminate the glass and stain the glass. In the product exit, the chromaticity does not meet the requirements.