Colorless gradient-index cylindrical lenses with high numerical apertures produced by silver-ion exchange

Abstract

Colorless gradient-index cylindrical lenses with high numerical apertures in slabs 200-1000 µm thick have been fabricated by silver-sodium ion exchange in a specially developed glass. The lenses with numerical apertures of 0.6 are characterized by index profiles and by spherical and chromatic aberration. On-axis focusing properties and the application to the collimation of high-power laser diode bars are discussed.