Published on: 2026-05-12
Source: Saint Petersburg Polytechnic University of Peter the Great –
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At the Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, a unique technology was created for producing spherical blanks from chalcogenide glasses for infrared optics. The development is necessary for domestic enterprises that manufacture thermal imaging devices. Scientists have received and tested a serial prototype of the product, as well as developed equipment for its production.
One of the most popular methods of mass-producing optics for cameras is molding from spherical blanks. An earlier production approach involved grinding lenses from a glass mass, during which a significant portion of the material turned into shavings, which is ineffective both economically and technologically. Molding a lens from a spherical blank allows for saving material and resources. Using this technology, specialized optics are also produced for various thermal imaging devices.Instead of ordinary glass, chalcogenide glass is used there: in it, oxygen atoms are replaced by atoms of sulfur, selenium, or tellurium. Due to the absence of oxygen in the structure, such glass has a wide transparency in the infrared range, a high refractive index, and a low softening temperature. Currently, the domestic market for the production of optics made from chalcogenide glass is at the formation stage.
Scientists from the Polytechnic University have developed and tested a technology for obtaining blanks from chalcogenide glasses in the form of a sphere. The purpose of the project was to develop an industrial method that would allow the production of lenses for thermal imaging devices without the labor-intensive stage of mechanical processing.
The research team carried out a complete work cycle, starting from the analysis of the quality of one raw material and developing purification methods to measuring the roughness of the surface of ready-made spheres and experimental pressing of optical products made from chalcogenide glass. We tested more than ten different approaches to obtaining blanks in the form of a sphere, from which the first experimental lens was obtained.The main value of our work in creating a scalable technological chain for the serial production of lenses: we have not only developed a production method, but also designed and manufactured equipment,” noted Alexander Semench, Director of the Scientific and Educational Center “Nanotechnology and Coatings” of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport SPbPU.
Researchers note that the pressing of alkali glass abroad has been going on for more than ten years, but the Russian development has an important advantage. Thanks to the original cleaning methods and the use of a single raw material, our scientists have managed to expand the spectral transparency of the glass, which surpasses the capabilities of existing analogues in the world. Several large Russian enterprises have already shown interest in the project.The immediate tasks of the research team include scaling up processes, developing new glass composition systems with extended functionality, as well as working out a fundamentally different approach to the formation of blanks.
The work is carried out with the support of the “Priority 2030” grant from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
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