What is visible glass?

Visible glass is glass manufactured with controlled refractive index, dispersion, transmission and internal quality for optical systems operating primarily in the visible spectrum. It is used to manufacture lenses, windows, prisms, filters and other precision optical components.

What is the difference between crown glass and flint glass?

Crown glass generally has lower dispersion and a higher Abbe number. Flint glass usually has higher dispersion and often a higher refractive index. Crown and flint glasses are frequently combined to reduce chromatic aberration in achromatic lens systems.

Are CDGM, SCHOTT, OHARA and HOYA glass grades interchangeable?

Some grades have similar refractive index and dispersion and may be considered optical equivalents. Final substitution must also review partial dispersion, internal transmission, thermal properties, chemical durability, homogeneity and manufacturing availability.

How do I read a six-digit optical glass code?

The first three digits represent the refractive-index position and the last three represent the Abbe-number position. For example, 516642 indicates an nd of approximately 1.516 and a vd of approximately 64.2.

What do nd and vd mean in an optical glass catalog?

The value nd is the refractive index measured at the specified d-line wavelength. The value vd is the Abbe number, which indicates visible-light dispersion. These values help optical designers compare the optical position of different glass grades.

Visible Glass

Name: Visible Glass
Brand: AT Optical Co., Ltd.
Availability: InStock

ATOPTIK supports the selection and precision processing of visible optical glass for lenses, windows, prisms, filters and optical assemblies. Available material directions include crown glass, flint glass, high-index glass, low-dispersion glass, filter glass and application-specific optical glass grades.

Glass selection can be evaluated according to refractive index, Abbe number, internal transmission, homogeneity, thermal properties, component geometry, coating requirements and production quantity.

 SEND REQUEST

Products

Visible glass includes crown, flint and special optical glass grades with controlled refractive index and dispersion. Common applications include imaging lenses, prisms, windows, filters and scientific instruments.

Typical material directions include:

N-BK7-type crown glass
High-index optical glass
Low-dispersion glass
Filter glass
Radiation-resistant or application-specific glass

Types of Visible Glass

Crown Optical Glass

Crown glass generally combines relatively low refractive index with lower dispersion and a higher Abbe number. It is widely used in visible imaging lenses, windows, prisms and general optical instruments. N-BK7 and equivalent crown-glass grades are common starting points for applications requiring reliable visible performance and established manufacturing processes.

Flint Optical Glass

Flint glass normally provides a higher refractive index and greater dispersion than crown glass. It is frequently combined with crown glass in achromatic or multi-element lens systems to help correct chromatic aberration.

High-Index Optical Glass

High-index glass bends light more strongly than standard crown glass. It can help reduce lens curvature, component thickness or optical-system length, although higher refractive index can also increase reflection and coating requirements.

Low-Dispersion Optical Glass

Low-dispersion glass has a relatively high Abbe number and is selected when chromatic aberration must be reduced. It is commonly used in imaging objectives, photographic systems, microscopes and other broadband optical assemblies.

Filter Glass

Filter glass controls spectral transmission through material absorption rather than only through a surface coating. Different grades may be selected for color correction, ultraviolet blocking, infrared blocking or band-selection applications.

Special and Application-Specific Glass

Special visible optical glass may include radiation-resistant grades, low-transition-temperature molding glass, environmentally resistant glass and materials with selected anomalous partial dispersion or thermal characteristics.

Custom Visible Optical Glass Processing Capabilities

ATOPTIK supports the processing of selected visible optical glass grades into custom lenses, windows, prisms, filters and optical assemblies.

Project capability may include:

- Glass-grade and equivalent-material review

- Optical and mechanical tolerance evaluation

- Cutting, generating, grinding and polishing

- Plano, spherical and selected special geometries

- Surface figure and surface-quality control

- Centration and dimensional inspection

- Anti-reflection coating, reflective coating and filter coating

- Cementing and optical assembly

- Prototype and repeat-production support

Final capability depends on glass grade, blank size, component geometry, surface requirements, coating and quantity.

Visible Glass Cross-Reference Database

CODE	nd	υd	CDGM	SCHOTT	OHARA	HOYA
			QK
470668	1.47047	66.83	H-QK1	FK1	FSL1	FC1
487700	1.48746	70.04	H-QK3
487704	1.48749	70.44	H-QK3L	N-FK5	S-FSL5	FC5
			K
500621	1.49967	62.07	K1	K11
500660	1.50047	66.02	H-K2	BK4	BSL4	BSC4
505647	1.50463	64.72	H-K3	BK5
508611	1.50802	61.05	K4A	ZKN7	ZSL7	ZNC7
510634	1.51007	63.36	H-K5	BK1	BSL1	BSC1
511605	1.51112	60.46	H-K6	K7	NSL7	C7
515606	1.51478	60.63	H-K7
516568	1.51602	56.79	K8		NSL2	C2
516642	1.5168	64.2	H-K9L	N-BK7	S-BSL7	BSC7
516642	1.5168		H-UK9L	UBK7
518590	1.51818	58.95	H-K10		S-NSL3	E-C3
526602	1.52638	60.61	H-K11	BALK1	NSL21	BACL1
534555	1.53359	55.47	H-K12	ZK5	ZSL5	ZNC5
519617	1.51878	61.69	H-K16			BACL3
522595	1.52249	59.48	H-K50	N-K5	S-NSL5	C5
523586	1.52307	58.64	H-K51	B270	NSL51	C12
			BaK
530605	1.53028	60.47	H-BaK1
540597	1.53996	59.72	H-BaK2	N-BAK2	S-BAL12	BAC2
547628	1.54678	62.78	H-BaK3		BAL21
552634	1.55248	63.36	H-BaK4	N-PSK3	BAL23	PCD3
561583	1.56069	58.34	BaK5
564608	1.56388	60.76	H-BaK6	N-SK11	S-BAL41	BACD11
569560	1.56883	56.04	H-BaK7	N-BAK4	S-BAL14	BAC4
573575	1.5725	57.49	H-BaK8	N-BAK1	S-BAL11	BAC1
574565	1.57444	56.45	BaK9	BAK6	BAL16	BAC6
560612	1.55963	61.21	BaK11	SK20	BAL50
			ZK
569629	1.56888	62.93	H-ZK1	PSK2	BAL22	PCD2
583595	1.58313	59.46	H-ZK2	SK12	S-BAL42	BACD12
589613	1.58913	61.25	H-ZK3	N-SK5	S-BAL35	BACD5
609589	1.60881	58.86	H-ZK4	SK3	BSM3	BACD3
611558	1.61117	55.77	ZK5	SK8	BSM8	BACD8
613586	1.61272	58.58	H-ZK6	N-SK4	S-BSM4	BACD4
613606	1.61309	60.58	H-ZK7
614551	1.61405	55.12	ZK8	SK9	BSM9	BACD9
620603	1.62041	60.34	H-ZK9	N-SK16	S-BSM16	BACD16
622567	1.6228	56.71	H-ZK10	N-SK10	S-BSM10	E-BACD10
639555	1.63854	55.45	H-ZK11	N-SK19	S-BSM18	BACD18
603606	1.60311	60.6	H-ZK14	N-SK14	S-BSM14	BACD14
607595	1.60729	59.46	H-ZK15	SK7	BSM7	BACD7
614564	1.61375	56.4	H-ZK19	SK6	BSM6	BACD6
617539	1.6172	53.91	H-ZK20	SSK1	BSM21	BACED1
623581	1.62299	58.12	H-ZK21	N-SK15	S-BSM15	BACD15
607567	1.60738	56.65	H-ZK50	SK2	BSM2	BACD2
618551	1.61765	55.14	ZK51	SSK4	BSM24	BACED4
			LaK
660574	1.6595	57.35	H-LaK1	LAK11	LAL11	LAC11
692545	1.69211	54.54	H-LaK2	N-LAK9	S-LAL9	LAC9
747510	1.74693	50.95	H-LaK3
641601	1.64	60.2	H-LaK4L	N-LAK21	S-BSM81	LACL60
678555	1.6779	55.52	H-LaK5	N-LAK12	S-LAL12	LAC12
678555	1.6779	55.52	H-LaK5A	N-LAK12	S-LAL12	LAC12
694534	1.6935	53.38	H-LaK6	LAKN13	S-LAL13	LAC13
713538	1.713	53.83	H-LaK7	N-LAK8	S-LAL8	LAC8
720503	1.72	50.34	H-LaK8A	N-LAK10	LAL10	LAC10
651559	1.65113	55.89	LaK10	N-LAK22	LAL54	LACL2
697562	1.6968	56.18	H-LaK12	LAK24	LAL64
652584	1.6516	58.4	H-LaK50	N-LAK7	S-LAL7	LAC7
652584	1.6516	58.4	H-LaK50A	N-LAK7	S-LAL7	LAC7
697555	1.6968	55.53	H-LaK51	N-LAK14	S-LAL14	LAC14
729547	1.72916	54.68	H-LaK52	N-LAK34	S-LAL18	TaC8
755523	1.755	52.32	H-LaK53	N-LAK33	S-YGH51	TaC6
755523	1.755	52.32	H-LaK53A	N-LAK33	S-YGH51	TaC6
734515	1.734	51.49	H-LaK54		S-LAL59	TaC4
			KF
501572	1.50058	57.21	KF1	K10	FTL10	C10
515545	1.51539	54.48	KF2	KF3	NSL33	CF3
526510	1.52629	51	KF3	KF2	NSL32	CF2
517522	1.51742	52.31	KF6	KF6	NSL36	CF6
			H-KF6
			QF
548459	1.54811	45.87	QF1	LLF1	PBL1	FEL1
548458	1.54814	45.82	H-QF1	N-LLF1	S-TIL1	E-FEL1
561468	1.56091	46.78	QF2	LLF3	PBL3	FEL3
575413	1.57502	41.31	QF3	LF7	PBL27	FL7
582420	1.58215	42.03	QF5	LF3	PBL23	FL3
532488	1.53172	48.76	QF6	LLF6	PBL6	FEL6
532488	1.53172	48.84	H-QF6	N-LLF6	S-TIL6	E-FEL6
541472	1.54072	47.2	QF8	LLF2	PBL2	FEL2
561452	1.56138	45.24	QF9	LLF4	PBL4	FEL4
578411	1.57842		QF11	LF4	PBL24	FL4
596392	1.59551	39.18	QF14	F8	PBM8	F8
581409	1.58144	40.89	H-QF50	N-LF5	S-TIL25	E-FL5
581409	1.58144	40.89	QF50	LF5	PBL25	FL5
581409	1.58144	40.89	UQF50	ULF5
			F
603380	1.60342	38.01	F1	F5	PBM5	F5
603380	1.60342	38.01	H-F1		F-TIM5	E-F5
613370	1.61293	36.96	F2	F3	PBM3	F3
617366	1.61659	36.61	F3	F4	PBM4	F4
620364	1.62005	36.35	F4	F2	PBM2	F2
620364	1.62005	36.35	H-F4	N-F2	S-TIM2	E-F2
624359	1.62435	35.92	F5		PBM11
625356	1.62495	35.57	F6	F7		F7
636354	1.63636	35.35	F7	F6	PBM6	F6
624368	1.62364	36.81	F12	F10	PBM10
626357	1.62588	35.7	F13	F1	PBM1	F1
640346	1.6389	34.57	F51	SF7	PBM27	FD7
			BaF
548540	1.54809	53.95	BaF1	BALF5	BAL5
570495	1.5697	49.45	BaF2	BAF2	BAM2	BaF2
580539	1.5796	53.87	BaF3	BALF4	BAL4	BAFL4
			H-BaF3
583465	1.58271	46.47	BaF4	BaF3	BAM3	BaF3
606439	1.60562	43.88	BaF5	BaF4	BAM4	BaF4
608462	1.60801	46.21	BaF6	BAF52		BAF7
614400	1.61413	40.03	BaF7
626391	1.62604	39.1	BaF8	BASF1	BAM21	BAFD1
603425	1.60323	42.48	BaF51	BASF5		BAFD5
571530	1.57135	53.97	H-BaF53		S-BAL3
			ZBaF
622531	1.62231	53.14	ZBaF1	SSK2	BSM22	BACED2
	1.80166	44.26	H-ZBaF1			NbFD14
640483	1.63962	48.27	ZBaF2
657511	1.65691	51.12	H-ZBaF3
664355	1.66426	35.45	ZBaF4	BASF2	BAH22	BAFD2
671473	1.67103	47.29	H-ZBaF5	S-BAH10
607494	1.60729	49.4	ZBaF8	BAF5	BAM5	BAF5
620498	1.62012	49.8	ZBaF11		BSM29	BACED9
639452	1.6393	45.18	ZBaF13	BAF12	BAM12	BAF12
651383	1.65128	38.32	ZBaF15		BAH24	BAFD4
667484	1.66672	48.42	H-ZBaF16	BAFN11	S-BAH11	BAF11
668419	1.66755	41.93	ZBaF17	BASF6	BAH26	BAFD6
670392	1.66998	39.2	ZBaF18	BASF12	BAH32
702410	1.70181	41.01	H-ZBaF20	N-BASF52	S-BAH27	BAFD7
702410	1.70181	41.01	ZBaF20A	BASF52	BAH27	BAFD7
	1.70181	41.01	H-ZBaF20A
723380	1.7234	37.99	H-ZBaF21	BASF51	S-BAH28	BAFD8
723380	1.7234	37.99	ZBaF21A	BASF51	BAH28	BAFD8
658509	1.65844	50.85	H-ZBaF50	N-SSK5	S-BSM25	BACED5
683445	1.68273	44.5	ZBaF51	BAF50	BAH51	BAF22
670472	1.67003	47.2	H-ZBaF52	N-BAF10		BAF10
			ZF
648338	1.64769	33.84	ZF1	SF2	PBM22	FD2
648338	1.64769	33.84	H-ZF1		S-TIM22	E-FD2
673322	1.6727	32.17	ZF2	SF5	PBM25	FD5
673322	1.6727	32.17	H-ZF2	N-SF5	S-TIM25	E-FD5
717295	1.71736	29.5	ZF3	SF1	PBH1	FD1
717295	1.71736	29.5	H-ZF3	N-SF1	S-TIH1	E-FD1
728283	1.72825	28.32	ZF4	SF10	PBH10	FD10
728283	1.72825	28.32	H-ZF4	N-SF10	S-TIH10	E-FD10
740282	1.74	28.24	ZF5	SF3	PBH3	FD3
755275	1.7552	27.53	ZF6	SF4	PBH4	FD4
755275	1.7552	27.53	H-ZF6	N-SF4	S-TIH4	E-FD4
805255	1.80518	25.46	ZF7L	SF6	PBH6	FD6
805255	1.80518	25.46	H-ZF7L	N-SF6	S-TIH6	FD60
654337	1.65446	33.65	ZF8	SF9	PBM29	FD9
689312	1.68893	31.16	H-ZF10	N-SF8	S-TIM28	E-FD8
689312	1.68893	31.18	ZF10	SF8	PBM28	FD8
699301	1.69894	30.05	H-ZF11	N-SF15	S-TIM35	E-FD15
699301	1.69895	30.07	ZF11	SF15	PBM35	FD15
762266	1.76182	26.61	H-ZF12		S-TIH14	FD140
762266	1.76182	26.55	ZF12	SF14	PBH14	FD14
			H-ZF13		S-TIH11	FD110
785258	1.78472	25.76	ZF13	SF11	PBH11	FD11
918215	1.91761	21.51	ZF14	SF58
741278	1.74077	27.76	ZF50	SF13	PBH13	FD13
741278	1.74077	27.76	H-ZF50		S-TIH13	E-FD13
785261	1.7847	26.08	ZF51	SF56	PBH23	FDS3
847238	1.84666	23.78	ZF52	SF57	PBH53	FDS9
847238	1.84666	23.78	H-ZF52	SFL57	S-TIH53	FDS90
			LaF
694492	1.69362	49.19	LaF1		LAL58	LACL5
717479	1.717	47.89	LaF2	LAF3	LAM3	LAF3
744449	1.744	44.9	H-LaF3	N-LAF2	S-LAM2	E-LAF2
750350	1.7495	34.99	H-LaF4	N-LAF7	S-NBH51	E-LAF7
757478	1.75719	47.81	H-LaF6		S-LAM54	NBF2
757477	1.757	47.71	H-LaF6L		S-LAM54	NBF2
782371	1.78179	37.09	LaF7	LAF22	LAM62	NBFD7
784413	1.78427	41.3	H-LaF8	LAF25
784439	1.78443	43.88	H-LaF9	LAF10
788474	1.78831	47.39	H-LaF10	N-LAF21	S-LAH64	TAF4
788475	1.788	47.49	H-LaF10L	N-LAF21	S-LAH64	TAF4
773496	1.7725	46.96	H-LaF50A	N-LAF28	S-LAH66	TAF1
700481	1.7	48.1	H-LaF51		S-LAM51
786442	1.7859	44.19	H-LaF52	N-LAF33	S-LAH51	NBFD11
743492	1.7433	49.22	H-LaF53	N-LAF35	S-LAM60	NBF1
800423	1.79952	42.24	H-LaF54	N-LAF36	S-LAH52	NBFD12
720437	1.72	43.68	H-LaF62		S-LAM52
			ZLaF
802443	1.80166	44.26	H-ZLaF1	LASF11		NBFD14
803467	1.803	46.66	H-ZLaF2	LASF1	LAH62
855366	1.85544	36.59	H-ZLaF3	LASF13		TAFD13
804466	1.804	46.58	H-ZLaF50B	N-LASF44	S-LAH65	TAF3
804466	1.804	46.58	H-ZLaF50A	N-LASF44	S-LAH65	TAF3
805396	1.8045	39.64	H-ZLaF51		S-LAH63	NBFD3
806410	1.8061	40.95	H-ZLaF52	N-LASF43	S-LAH53	NBFD13
	1.8061	40.95	H-ZLaF52A		S-LaH53
834372	1.834	37.17	H-ZLaF53	N-LASF40	S-LAH60	NBFD10
834372	1.834	37.17	H-ZLaF53A	N-LASF40	S-LAH60	NBFD10
835430	1.835	42.98	H-ZLaF55	N-LASF41	S-LAH55	TAFD5
806333	1.8061	33.27	H-ZLaF56			NBFD15
806333	1.8061	33.27	H-ZLaF56A			NBFD15
883408			H-ZLaF68	N-LASF31	S-LAH58	TAFD30
			TiF
580380	1.58013	38.02	TiF2
593358	1.5927	35.79	TiF3	TIFN5	FTM16	FF5
			TF
612441	1.61242	44.09	TF3	KzFS1		ADF10
613443	1.6134	44.3	TF4	KzFSN4	BPM51	ADF40
654396	1.65412	39.63	TF5	KzFSN5	BPH5	ADF50
			FK
497816	1.497	81.61	H-FK61		S-FPL51	FCD1
			D-K
516641	1.51633	64.06	D-K9		L-BSL7
			D-ZK
583595	1.58313	59.46	D-ZK2		L-BAL42	M-BACD12
589613	1.58912	61.25	D-ZK3		L-BAL35	M-BACD5N
			D-LaK
694532	1.6935	53.2	D-LaK6		L-LAL13	M-LAC130
			D-ZBaF
714389	1.7143	38.9	D-ZBaF58
			D-ZF
689312	1.68893	31.16	D-ZF10		L-TIM28
			D-LaF
731405	1.73077	40.5	D-LaF79		L-LAM69	M-LAF81
			D-ZLaF
806410	1.8061	40.95	D-ZLaF52		L-LAH53	M-NBFD130

FAQs About Visible Glass

Q

What is visible glass?

A

Visible glass is glass manufactured with controlled refractive index, dispersion, transmission and internal quality for optical systems operating primarily in the visible spectrum. It is used to manufacture lenses, windows, prisms, filters and other precision optical components.
Q

How do I read a six-digit optical glass code?

A

The first three digits represent the refractive-index position and the last three represent the Abbe-number position. For example, 516642 indicates an nd of approximately 1.516 and a vd of approximately 64.2.
Q

Are CDGM, SCHOTT, OHARA and HOYA glass grades interchangeable?

A

Some grades have similar refractive index and dispersion and may be considered optical equivalents. Final substitution must also review partial dispersion, internal transmission, thermal properties, chemical durability, homogeneity and manufacturing availability.
Q

What is the difference between crown glass and flint glass?

A

Crown glass generally has lower dispersion and a higher Abbe number. Flint glass usually has higher dispersion and often a higher refractive index. Crown and flint glasses are frequently combined to reduce chromatic aberration in achromatic lens systems.
Q

What do nd and vd mean in an optical glass catalog?

A

The value nd is the refractive index measured at the specified d-line wavelength. The value vd is the Abbe number, which indicates visible-light dispersion. These values help optical designers compare the optical position of different glass grades.

Contact

If you would like to build your own precision optical products or request a quote, please click one of the two buttons below. Otherwise, please fill out the form below with any questions or concerns.