Optical color filters rely on colored glass panels to absorb a range of light wavelengths while permitting other wavelengths to pass through. Color filters can perform as high pass filters, daylight elimination filters, and more depending on the specified translucence and technical function of the application. As a world leader in glass fabrication and manufacturing, Swift Glass fabricates optical color filters for a wide range of industries.
What Are Optical Color Filters?
Optical color filters obtain their unique spectral characteristics by injecting a colored dye into a glass substrate. The colored dye provides spectral performance properties and hue to the glass lens. Optical color filters can be cut into various shapes and dimensions depending on the client’s needs.
Optical filters absorb light within a range of wavelengths or a single wavelength but allow others to pass. There are several types of filters to filter various light wavelengths:
- Bandpass: Filters a specific light bandwidth to deliver uniform and high transmission rates. It blocks all wavelengths lower or higher than the specified bandwidth.
- Longpass: Transmits wavelengths above a designated point and blocks any wavelength below that point.
- Mounted: An optical color filter mounted within a ring for performance in cosmetic lasers, imaging, and lighting applications. More than one filter can overlap to create a unique filter.
- Shortpass: Transmits wavelengths below a specific point, blocking all higher wavelengths. The highest wavelength the filter transmits is indicated by the part number.
A few examples of optical color filters are:
Benefits of Using Optical Color Filters
Various applications depend on different optical color filters to transmit or block light wavelengths. Optical color filters deliver the following benefits:
- Provide consistent optical capabilities when in use
- Easy to use
- Do not have polarization properties
- Compatible with a wide range of wavelengths due to expansive filter options
- They are easy to clean
- A cost-efficient solution
Color Filter Applications
Optical color filters can be implemented in a wide range of applications that require the manipulation of light waves. They perform light filtration vital to cosmetic laser therapy and spectral applications in the medical industry and industrial applications. Color photography filters for cameras and lighting equipment allow photographers to achieve specific effects and aesthetics for their photos without secondary editing processes. They are essential to imaging equipment and machine vision inspection for manufacturing and other industrial applications. Color filters are present in microscopy, clinical chemistry, spectroscopy, and educational materials.
Optical Color Filters From Swift Glass
Swift Glass is a global leader in superior fabricated glass parts with nearly a century in business. Our facility is ITAR-registered and ISO 9001:2015-certified to deliver the highest quality glass fabrication services. Our capabilities include drilling, edge grinding, polishing, waterjet cutting, thermal tempering, chemical strengthening, bending, CNC machining, silk-screening, ink-jet printing, and decorating glass. We partner with leading manufacturers like Corning, SCHOTT and GE to deliver glass fabrication to critical industries like aerospace and biomedical.
Optical color filters are dyed glass panels that transmit and block the required wavelength ranges depending on the color, translucency, and technical function of the glass and come in many varieties. Many applications depend on optical color filters for their effectiveness, ease of cleaning, and stability at an economical price. Contact us to learn more about Swift Glass’s fabrication capabilities or request a quote on a color filter solution for your application.
