N-BK7 OPTICAL WINDOWS

N-BK7 is a Schott borosilicate material used in optical window applications from the visible to the NIR. N-BK7 Windows offer the following advantages:

• Clear, uniform color
• Nearly free of bubbles and inclusions
• A high degree of purity and homogeneity
• Excellent chemical and stain resistance
• Superior transmission in the VIS to NIR spectrum
• Low absorption and uniform transmission in the visible spectrum

Due to the above properties, N-BK7 Windows can be used to fabricate both optical windows and optical mirrors. It is most often selected due to its relatively low cost, high index of refraction (1.51680 @ 587 nm, yellow helium line) and high transmission between 350nm – 2.5µm. For further technical information, view our N-BK7 Window Data Sheet.

While there are plenty of good reasons to choose a N-BK7 Window, it is a very temperature sensitive material and therefore not suitable for applications where it will be exposed to thermal shock. A good, but more expensive, alternative is fused silica which offers a lower coefficient of thermal expansion, a much greater resistance to thermal shock and a broader range of optimal transmission when compared to N-BK7. A good understanding of your application will help you decide if a N-BK7 Window is the right choice.

Advanced Optics carries a wide range of N-BK7 Windows in-house and has the ability to:

• Fabricate custom shapes and sizes
• Achieve parallelism of < 2 arc seconds
• Drill holes, notch glass and provide custom bevels
• Polish glass down to 3mm in diameter and 0.5mm thick
• Modify and resurface customer supplied materials
• Precision polish optics with non-standard aspect ratios
• Provide broadband AR coatings for the visible spectrum as well as custom coatings

All of Advanced Optics optical windows are manufactured in the USA. Whether you require a single optic or production quantities, let Advanced Optics be your trusted partner – You can depend on our 100% outgoing inspection, on-time delivery and unmatched customer service at competitive prices.