Nanovox Optics has revolutionized optics with printable gradient index (GRIN) optical materials. Our VIRGO™ lens technology uses 3D printing of custom tailored nanocomposite materials to contour the refractive index within the lens itself. By sculpting the colors of light inside the lens, not just at lens surfaces - you can embed optical functions and push the boundaries of your design creativity. VIRGO™ improves optical performance and reduces product size and weight.
Scalable, digital, on-demand
lens manufacturing
Chromatically optimized
nanocomposite materials
Monolithically integrated aspheric index patterns and aberration correction
Freeform
refractive functions
Integrated baffles, fiducials,
and lens mounts
Substantially
reduced costs
We give designers freedom to deliver unprecedented optical performance in their products. Our gradient refractive index (GRIN) lenses embed volumetric index profiles, with precise color dispersion control, that create optical power and reduce aberrations. This minimizes the number of lenses needed in a product– at a fraction of the size and cost of conventional optics.
- Cell phone cameras
- Progressive eyeglasses
- Professional photography
- Industrial & Automation
- AR/VR
- Light field imaging & displays
- Solid-state lighting
- Automotive
- CMOS wafer-scale imagers
- Military
- Medical
- Photonics
- Scientific & microscopy
Conventional optics use optical materials with uniform refractive index and fixed color dispersion. When the surfaces of optical materials are shaped to focus light, aberrations are introduced - so more lenses are needed. To meet most product needs, seven or more lenses are often required. Such high lens counts drive up product size and weight. As a result – lenses extend beyond the cell phone body, medical instruments are intrusive, artificial reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) systems are bulky and provide unsatisfactory user visual experiences, and military efficacy is compromised. Worst of all, optics development drags down the speed of new product launches and wind up comprising 15% to 30% of your product costs.
Nanovox Optics’ custom nanocomposite materials, optimized for use in inkjet-print additive manufacturing, are available with a wide range of refractive index values and precise color dispersion. Using layer-by-layer composition, we are able to embed precise volumetric gradient index (GRIN) patterns in optical elements that sculpt optical wavefronts. These complex refractive profiles integrate the functions of multiple conventional lenses; they can focus light and eliminate aberrations - even in flat elements. When the GRIN elements are surface figured the added degrees of design freedom further minimize lens count, reducing size and weight by 50% or more. Other benefits of multi-materials additively manufacturing is that for the first time, designers can include baffles, fiducials, mounting features, and mounts in the lens designs.
- Monolithic achromatic lenses
- Progressive eyeglass lenses
- Flat aspheric imaging optics, with reduced aberrations and improved MTF
- Freeform refractive optics and phase plates
- Chirped, anamorphic, and compound microlens arrays, including baffles for reduced cross talk
- Aspheric surfaced aspheric-GRIN optics for reduce lens counts in military systems
- Light field imaging and holographic displays
- Solid state lighting with prescribed illumination
