What They Say
Peak Nanosystems of Ohio has received $25 million in funding to help boost its production of gradient index (GRIN) optics. The company makes nano-layered polymer GRIN optics that mean that the ultra-thin polymer layers yield a different refractive index at different points in the lens structure.
The firm got funding last year that allowed it to acquire a university spin-out PolymerPlus, which developed the process. PolymerPlus co-founder Michael Ponting has previously likened the structures to that of the human eye, where light rays are refracted by varying degrees as they pass from the front to the rear of the eyeball.
The lenses are based on thousands of alternating layers of different polymers with a typical layer thickness of around 50 µm which are stacked into sheets, from which shapes can be thermo-formed and diamond-turned, to create aspheric GRIN lenses.
Peak Nano Optics clains that in a design for binoculars the GRIN lenses could be up to ten times thinner – and 80% lighter – than standard glass doublet and triplet lenses.
In addition, the GRIN components are said to offer a tighter focus and reduced chromatic aberration, enabling a significantly wider field of view, all at a comparable cost.
What We Think
While optics is not advancing as fast as the world of semiconductors, nanomaterials are helping with making smaller, lighter and sharper head mount displays. (BR)
