ABSTRACT

Any optical system of necessity consists of many components often fabricated from and joined by a variety of materials. The choice of materials depends on the system performance requirements and many other factors including size, weight, mechanical loading, environment, number of systems required, and, of course, cost. This chapter provides discussion of the multiple applications of materials in an optical system; the importance of various properties and figures of merit; and the typical requirements, including a detailed discussion on dimensional stability. These introductory discussions are followed by sections detailing and providing properties for refractive materials and adhesives.