High Precision Optics

For Astronomical Telescopes

  • High Precision Optics
    High Precision Optics

Optical Surfaces Ltd is a leading designer and supplier of high precision astronomical optics operating over the entire spectral range from infrared to x-ray wavelengths. Astronomical optics is a branch of optics and photonics that uses light-controlling components for imaging celestial objects using for instance a telescope. Astronomical optics combines precisely machined lenses and mirrors to reduce any image distortion, and highly sensitive sensors to detect low levels of light.

More than 50 years of experience

Benefiting from operating in a unique production environment, free from vibration and temperature variation, Optical Surfaces Ltd is able to regularly produce large, ultra smooth astronomical optics that deliver state-of-the-art performance.
Over the last 50+ year, Optical Surfaces has designed, manufactured and supplied leading research organisations around the world with high precision aspheric optics, ultra smooth mirrors, high performance prisms, Schmidt camera and Laser launch telescope optics which stretches the limits of conventional optical fabrication techniques.

State of the art testing and quality control

To certify surface accuracy and precision, Optical Surfaces Ltd uses large aperture Zygo GPI, Twyman Green, Scatterplate, Fizeau and Laser Unequal Path (LUPI) interferometers which enables one-to-one testing of even the largest diameter astronomical optics.  Topographic and fringe analysis provides precise testing of surface roughness and confirms the wavefront of various surface forms. A rolling program for calibration of test optics where possible to national standards and production approval to ISO 9001-2000 ensures that the quality of astronomical optics from Optical Surfaces Ltd. is second to none.