Blog

Capital equipment decisions demand rigorous financial justification. When precision optical alignment challenges consume your lab’s time and budget, determining whether a Point Source Microscope delivers adequate return on investment requires examining multiple cost factors, time savings, and performance improvements. At $23,950 for a complete system including Python-based PSM Align software, the Point Source Microscope represents […]

I was never satisfied with my explanation of lens centering, so this Chapter is another try. Start with a diagram that is familiar to anyone who has some familiarity with optics, the diagram that explains first order image formation as in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 A generic optical system with the two rays that define […]

The establishment of a stable and well-defined reference axis is fundamental to precise optical alignment. Although the idea has been implicit in earlier chapters, it deserves explicit treatment because its practical implementation is not always obvious. Consider a point focus—such as the free-space output of a single-mode fiber or its image formed by upstream optics—located at height h above the […]

Optical alignment errors cost research labs and manufacturing facilities thousands of dollars in wasted time, scrapped components, and delayed project timelines. A single misalignment can cascade into weeks of troubleshooting, missed deadlines, and compromised optical system performance. After decades of developing precision alignment tools and working with research institutions worldwide, we’ve identified the most common—and […]

Choosing the right metrology tool for optical alignment can significantly impact your project’s success, timeline, and budget. Two of the most powerful instruments available are interferometers and Point Source Microscopes (PSM). While both excel at precision measurement, they serve different purposes and offer distinct advantages. At Optical Perspectives Group, we help optical engineers select the […]

Simon P. Tsaoussisa, W. Andrew Chenga, Ronnie Appelsb, and Robert E. Parksc  aKostaCLOUD Inc., 5795 Commerce Lane, South Miami, FL 33143, USA  bTucson Optical Research Corp., 210 S Plumer Ave, Tucson, AZ 85719, USA cOptical Perspectives Group LLC, 7011 E Calle Tolosa, Tucson, AZ 85750, USA ABSTRACT  We propose a realistic model for tolerancing ofscattered surface […]