An autocollimator with a reticle turret provides 6 selectable collimator reticles. The reticle turret allows a quick change of reticles for different measurement tasks.

Collimating lenses are available as single and achromatic beam collimators. Most collimators are made of materials such as lead, tin, tungsten, bismuth, molybdenum, and high-density plastic. The design and manufacturing process of collimating lenses involves molding, polishing, coating, assembling, and testing the lenses.

Light measurement applications – Collimating lenses help measure light from light sources such as OLED panels. The use of the collimating lens makes it possible to measure the light’s color, flicker, and spectral power distribution.

To achieve ideal collimation, one must minimize the illumination source or increase the focal length of the collimating system. If the collimating system focal length is increased, you must ensure that the system is far away from the light sources. This allows less light to be captured by the focusing system while also decreasing the power of the resultant light beam.

Collimatedlightvs polarized

Vermont Photonics offers all of the MÖLLER-WEDEL OPTICAL GmbH autocollimator accessories providing a perfect match for your application or measurement tasks with a visual autocollimator.

Optical collimator systems are made up of a tube containing a convex lens on one end and an adjustable aperture on the other end. The convex lens helps minimize the beam divergence of any light that enters the aperture, such that the light beam leaves the collimator as a parallel beam.

A collimator usually contains a collimator lens or a curved mirror and a light source as its focal point. To minimize the light spread, the focal length of the collimating device and the size of the light source must be balanced.

Room 609, 6/F, Global Gateway Tower, No.63 Wing Hong Street, Cheung Sha Wan, Kowloon, Hong Kong +852-54993705 info@shanghai-optics.com

Collimatingmirror

Collimating is the process of aligning a light beam or stream of particles in a parallel direction. The process minimizes the spread of the particles, ensuring they propagate in a parallel fashion.

These electronic autocollimators are specifically designed for high-precision measurement tasks. The main benefits are higher accuracy, repeatability and a computer-based evaluation is possible.

The Type AKW MD with mechanical double micrometer allows the measurement of deflection angles in two directions. The movement of the eyepiece reticle in x- and y-direction in the image plane can be read from the scale of the micrometer drums. The scale division (SD) is 5 micrometer.

Vermont Photonics offers the comprehensive line of Möller-Wedel Optical GmbH autocollimators with fixed or variable focus settings as well as with straight, 90° and 60° viewing (only with fixed focus setting).  Versions with reticle changer, integrated CCD camera mount, mechanical (MD) or digital double micrometer (MDD) are also available.

The certified autocollimator test wedge can be used as a reference or for rapid on-site measurement accuracy testing of visual and electronic autocollimators.

An optical collimator is made up of a collimating lens that is attached to a measuring instrument such as a collimator, spectrometer, or light meter. A collimator lens that is used for remote sensing will be attached to the measuring device through a fiber connection.

At Shanghai Optics, we manufacture different types of collimating lenses. Our lenses are made of quality materials and have a customized coating which makes them ideal for high-power laser beams. We also offer customized lenses that can meet your specific needs. Additionally, you can also contact us for collimating consulting.

A collimating lens is usually made of a curved mirror that is aligned to optimize the collection of light from the light source. This allows the rays of light to be viewed without parallax. The lens prevents the dispersing of light into different directions, allowing the user to configure illumination in a parallel direction.

Note: When using the laser attachment with an electronic autocollimator (ELCOMAT 3000, ELCOMAT vario or ELCOMAT direct), you do not need a power supply for the laser attachment because the attachment can be supplied directly from the electronic autocollimator.

Collimatinglens

Display measurement – Collimating lenses enable the measurement of display in terms of flicker, response time, color analysis, gamma, and white point adjustment. The lens allows the alignment of the measurement spot leading to accurate and stable measurement data.

Note: After removing the eyepiece cover ring all eyepieces can be upgraded with a C-Mount-Adapter to connect a CCD-Camera to the eyepiece.

Collimatedlightpanel

While some collimators work in a fixed alignment, others need to be adjusted to modify the distance between the collimation lens and the light source. The beam-pointing stability is also important, as tiny thermal drifts can cause a big change in the beam direction, especially if the focal length of the collimating lens is small.

The Type AKGV MDD has programmable measuring gauges, which allows the operator to read the angular displacement in arsec or mrad.

The geometrical beam splitter results in smaller image angles, but greater image brightness and less stray light. These autocollimators are used mainly with small targets. Due to their internal layout, these autocollimators cannot be used for measurement of triple mirrors or corner cubes. In most cases an autocollimator with physical beam splitter is recommended due to the larger measuring range of this configuration.

Similarly, if the beam is strongly asymmetrical such that it has a larger divergence in one direction than the other, one can use an anamorphic prism pair to obtain a circular light beam.

Collimating lightmeaning

Can be mounted to a D40 or D65 objective tube to focus collimated beams of collimators, testing telescopes or autocollimators to a specific finite distance.

Collimated beam

Collimation optics is the process of aligning light beams in a parallel direction. A collimator that is used to narrow light beams in a parallel is called an optical collimator.

Autocollimators with straight viewing are also available with mechanical double micrometer (AKG MD) and with digital double micrometer (AKG MDD).

MÖLLER-WEDEL OPTICAL offers autocollimators with adjustable focus setting with different focal lengths, diameters, eyepieces and adjustment ranges.

The 60°-viewing is used in a horizontal position where the angled eyepiece is more ergonomic. Besides the standard version there are also versions with mechanical double micrometer and digital micrometer available. The main differences to the straight or 90°-viewing versions are the folding mirror with 60° between objective and corner cube. That limits the 60° variants in their focal length (f=300 & 500 mm) and tube diameter (65 mm).

Autocollimators with straight viewing and adjustable focus setting are also available with mechanical double micrometer (AKGV MD) and with digital double micrometer (AKGV MDD).

The autocollimator with 60°-viewing is also available with mechanical double micrometer (AKW MD) and with digital double micrometer (AKW MDD).

The Type AKW MDD has a programmable measuring gauge, which allows the operator to read the angular displacement in arsec or mrad.

The Type AKG MDD has programmable measuring gauges, which allows the operator to read the angular displacement in arsec or mrad.

The simplest version of an autocollimator is an autocollimator with straight viewing. Autocollimators of this version are available with different focal lengths and tube diameters.

This type AKR MD is used if a straight viewing telescope cannot be used from ergonomic point of view. It allows the measurement of tilting angles in two directions. The lateral movement of the eyepiece reticle in x- and y-direction in the mage plane can be read from the scale of the micrometers. The scale division is 5 micrometer.

A focus adjustable autocollimator with a reticle turret provides 6 selectable collimator reticles. The reticle turret allows a quick change of reticles for different measurement tasks.

The measurement of the angles of plane mirrors in autocollimation is made with a parallel, or infinity focus, beam. Fixed, infinite focus is generally the best choice. For measurement tasks requiring an adjustable focal distance, use an objective tube with focus adjustment. Fixed focus tubes set at other than infinity can also be ordered.

For autocollimators with fixed focus setting the distance between reticles and objective is fixed. Usually the adjustment is made for infinity at a wavelength of 546 nm. Adjustment to other fixed distances or wavelength is also possible on demand.

Collimation definition in radiography

​The principle, function and layout resemble the autocollimator with 90° viewing. The eyepiece and eyepiece reticle are replaced by a mount for a CCD-camera and the autocollimation image is directly imaged on the CCD-chip when the camera is mounted. With no eyepiece reticle the displacement of the return image is measured on a video monitor or using a computer and software.

For many years Vermont Phonics has worked closely with our partner MÖLLER-WEDEL Optical GmbH in developing the market for electronic autocollimators in the United States.  Our deep and insightful knowledge in the use and application of these highly precise measuring and test instruments assures you of selecting the right tool for the job.

Alpha Industrial Park, Tu Thon Village, Ly Thuong Kiet Commune, Yen My District, Hung Yen Province Vietnam 17721 +84 221-730-8668 rfqvn@shanghai-optics.com

The AC - finder prism has been developed to precisely align mirrors to autocollimators and electronic autocollimators at short distances.

In contrast to the usually used eyepiece with f=14.7 mm an eyepiece with f=10 mm gives a larger magnification but lesser image field and eyepiece f=25 mm gives a smaller magnification but larger image field.

The Type AKG MD with mechanical double micrometer allows the measurement of tilting angles in two directions. The lateral movement of the eyepiece reticle in x- and y-direction in the image plane can be read from the scale of the micrometer drums. The scale division is 5 micrometer.

Note: Versions with mechanical double micrometer (MD) or a programmable measuring gauge (MDD) are not available because of mechanical limits.

Collimated beam meaning

Another simple version of a focus adjustable autocollimator is an autocollimator with 90° viewing. The user's line of sight is at 90° to the objective axis. These kinds of autocollimators are used for vertical set-ups or for set-ups on optical tables or for applications where straight viewing is not feasible.

MÖLLER-WEDEL OPTICAL offers the autocollimators with 90°-viewing and adjustable focus setting with different focal lengths, diameters, eyepieces and adjustment ranges.

Another simple version of an autocollimator is an autocollimator with 90° viewing. The user's line of sight is at 90° to the objective axis. These kinds of autocollimators are used for vertical set-ups or for set-ups on optical tables or for applications where straight viewing is not feasible.

The laser attachments D40 and D65 are useful for fast coarse adjustment of an autocollimator and electronic autocollimator. They are particularly useful for alignment of distant and very small mirrors, polygons or prisms.

Light conditions are more favorable when large apertures are used, and the evaluation of the results is easier and more accurate. A long distance between test specimen and testing telescope demands a relatively large free aperture (or aperture ratio). For these kinds of measurements a relatively large aperture diameter should be used.

Also, depending on the light source, beam collimators may require additional optical elements to minimize light divergence. For instance, if the light sources have strong beam divergence, it may be necessary to use aspheric optics to reduce beam quality deteriorations.

Analysis applications – Collimating lenses are used to transmit and analyze spectral data of translucent materials in the production processes. The ability of the light to enter the sample at a divergent angle enables stable and repeated measurements.

Measuring tasks requiring different wavelengths of light or measurements requiring variable focus (finite and/or infinite) are best accomplished using focusable autocollimators. With the aid of the tube extension the position of the reticles in respect to the focal plane of the objective is changeable. As a result of that the former parallel beam converts into a convergent or divergent beam and yields a real or virtual image of the reticle.

Depending on the magnification of the instrument a longer focal length of the objective leads to a greater measuring sensitivity and measurement accuracy. As the focal length increases, the measuring range (FOV) decreases proportionally. Additionally, the intensity of the light bundle received by the telescope decreases with increased focal length. A longer focal length affects the mechanical extension of the tube, as well.

The Type AKGV MD with mechanical double micrometer allows the measurement of deflection angles in two directions. The movement of the eyepiece reticle in x- and y-direction in the image plane can be read from the scale of the micrometer drums. The scale division (SD) is 5 micrometer.

In closing, collimation lenses allow light rays to travel in a parallel direction, preventing the light laser beams from dispersing in unwanted directions.

The principle, function and layout resemble the focus adjustable autocollimator with 90° viewing. The eyepiece and eyepiece reticle are replaced by a mount for a CCD-camera and the autocollimation image is directly imaged on the CCD-chip when the camera is mounted. With no eyepiece reticle the displacement of the return image is determined on a video monitor or using a computer with corresponding software.

If you know the specific type of autocollimator you would like more information on, click on one of the buttons just below in the header.  If you would like general information about the different types of autocollimators available, then scroll down this page for the topic sections about autocollimators.

Whenever light passes through a reflective object, it’s scattered into different angles. The purpose of an optical collimator is to transform a divergent beam of light into a parallel beam. A collimator also reduces the spatial cross-section of the light beam so that it becomes smaller.

The high variability of the autocollimators of MÖLLER-WEDEL OPTICAL GmbH allows you the perfect choice for your application. To help you determine which is most appropriate for your application, this section describes the influences of focal length of objective and eyepiece, objective aperture, fixed or adjustable focus setting and furthermore geometrical or physical beam splitter on the autocollimator.

An autocollimator with straight viewing has the user´s line of sight co-linear with the objective axis. These autocollimators are preferably used in horizontal direction, where the eyepiece is at eye level. In a down-looking arrangement or on optical table 90°- or 60°-viewing is often more suitable.

Notable benefits of using collimating lenses are that they allow users to control the field of view. This enables the collection of efficient and spatial-resolution data. Collimating lenses also enable users to configure illumination.

Years of experience, hard work and determination by MÖLLER-WEDEL Optical GmbH and its dedicated team  spent in the development, production and calibration of visual and electronic autocollimators have resulted in the ELCOMAT and ELCOMAT direct series.