Panasonic has announced that it has produced far-infrared lens molding technology for the mass production of far-infrared aspherical lenses suitable for enhancing the performance of cameras and sensors. The new lenses are composed of chalcogenide glass offering "excellent transmission characteristics in the far-infrared."
With the latest glass molding method and mold processing technology, Panasonic will be capable of delivering an array of lenses including diffractive lens, "the world"s first highly hermetic frame-integrated lens without using adhesive." The company will now be able to contribute to the spread and enhanced performance of far-infrared sensor modules by achieving mass production of low-cost and high-quality far-infrared aspherical lenses as well.
The new technology is available to supply chalcogenide lenses (aspherical and diffractive) in a number of sizes from φ3 mm to φ40 mm. It will also allow for the production of frame-integrated lenses without the risk of gas contamination because of no use of adhesive. This also safeguards the edge of the lens and improves the accuracy of installation on the lens barrel. Moreover, it enables the development of highly hermetic barrel type frame-integrated lenses that "contribute to be high hermeticity inside the lens barrel" needed to improve the performance of sensors.
Currently, the company is accepting prototype orders, with sales of high-performance and low-cost far-infrared aspherical lenses expanding in the future.