Detectors & Imaging

L-3 AOC provides large-optics coatings for telescope project

Jan. 13, 2014

Dallas, TX--L-3 Applied Optics Center completed the optical coatings for thirteen large optical elements for a major U.S. national telescope.

Gail Overton

The L-3 Applied Optics Center (AOC) has completed optical coatings for large optics used on a U.S. national telescope project.

Dallas, TX--Part of L-3 Communications (NYSE: LLL) Warrior Systems, L-3 Applied Optics Center completed the optical coatings for thirteen large optical elements for a major U.S. national telescope. The largest of the elements was more than over 27 inches in diameter and weighed over 300 pounds.

The anti-reflective and highly reflective thin-film optical coatings deposited by AOC on the various elements were specifically designed to enhance the overall performance of the innovative telescope, and to ensure its long-term mission success. L-3 Communications AOC business development manager Jim Hooker said, "We are proud and pleased to announce the delivery of large optics for this critical national program. We are raising the bar in the successful design and development of thin film optical coatings on large, high-value optical elements. Our unique large-element coating capability allows us provide large optics manufactured to high-performance specifications for a wide variety of applications, worldwide."

L-3 Applied Optics Center provides optical solutions and assemblies for commercial, industrial, and defense markets worldwide. Products include thin-film coatings, optical assemblies, laser-protection filters, precision optical assemblies, optical components, index-matched conductive coatings, and rapid component and subassembly prototyping for imaging, machine vision, display, industrial, defense, and aerospace applications.

SOURCE: L-3 Applied Optics Center; http://www.insighttechnology.com/AOC2012/aoc-home

About the Author

Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)

Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.