G&H develops and manufactures world class precision optical components and assemblies for applications in aerospace & defense, industry, medical systems and scientific research.
Our capabilities include nonlinear optical crystal growth, superpolishing, single-point diamond turning, and crystal quartz waveplate production. We have advanced capabilities in anti-reflection, high reflection, and high laser damage threshold coatings, as well as adhesive-free bonding. As part of a process of continuous improvement, each of our five operations strives to expand, develop, and improve its competencies.
Our products for laser cavity and beam conditioning include active and passive components as well as nonlinear crystals. Many customers employ G&H custom lenses and housed sub-assemblies in transmission and imaging applications. Much of our business involves creating high quality, custom optics for volume OEM applications and unique optics for research. Our superpolished ring laser gyro mirrors are used in most major aerospace manufacturing programs around the world; we have provided 0.4×0.4 m KDP waveplates to the National Ignition Facility (NIF).
Coatings
Gooch & Housego has four factories with thin film optical coating chambers, two based in the USA and two in the UK, offering coating based on the coating technologies and coating listed in the coatings section.
Hy-Per Bond™ Adhesive-free bonding
Gooch & Housego’s adhesive-free bonding process, Hy-Per Bond™, activates precision optical surfaces prior to joining them, forming permanent bonds between the components that are resistant to humidity and cryogenic temperatures.
Materials
We work with a variety of glasses and crystals for wavelengths from the UV through IR. Over 30 different materials and their associated component types are listed in the materials table.
Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF®)
When enhanced precision is required we employ MRF®, complementing existing polishing capabilities for surface correction for ultra precision optics.
Non-linear optical crystal growth
Beginning with the raw chemicals we grow, orient, fabricate, finish, coat, and mount: Beta Barium Borate (BBO), Cadmium Sulfide (CdS), Cadmium Selenide (CdSe), Potassium Di-hydrogen Phosphate (KDP), Potassium Di-deuterium Phosphate (KD*P), Lithium Niobate (LnNbO3— often referred to as LN), and Tellurium Dioxide (TeO2).
Single Point Diamond Turning (SPDT)
We use single-point diamond turning (SPDT) to produce ultra precision infrared optical components such as infrared aspheric, diffractive and spherical optics and gratings.
Superpolishing
Gooch & Housego has supplied superpolished optics to NASA’s Mars Curiosity mission and to international synchrotron experiments. Superpolished materials include N-BK7 Optical Glass, Calcium Fluoride, Crystal Quartz, Fused Silica, Nd:YAG, Sapphire, Silicon Carbide, YAG and ZERODUR®.
