Meller Sapphire Windows Protect Sensors on Aircraft

PROVIDENCE, RI--(Marketwire - May 22, 2012) - Meller Optics, Inc. has introduced custom fabricated sapphire windows for installation on the outboard of aircraft to protect sensors from water, wind, and high speed particulates.

Meller Sapphire Windows feature transmission from the UV to IR (270 nm to 4.7 microns) and can be fabricated in virtually any mounting configuration, including the appropriate bevels and mounting surfaces. Clear as glass and exhibiting Moh 9 hardness, which is second only to diamond, these windows provide sensor protection from water, wind, and high speed particulates.

Produced in sizes up to 10" dia., depending on the diameter to thickness aspect ratio, Meller Sapphire Windows provide flatness to 1/10^th wave in the visible and < 2 arc sec. in./in. parallelism with finishes from 60-40 to 40-20 scratch-dig, depending upon size and construction. Sapphire domes are also offered as front surface protection in military applications.

Meller Sapphire Windows are priced according to configuration and quantity. Literature and price quotations are available upon request.

About Meller Optics, Inc.

Founded in 1921, Meller Optics has been providing high quality optics to defense, medical, laser, and industrial markets for 90 years now. Specializing in the grinding and polishing of hard, durable materials such as sapphire and ruby, the company has also developed high-speed, low-cost finishing processes for a variety of optical materials such as laser glasses, fused silica, zinc selenide, germanium, silicon, fluorides, and ceramic materials. Configurations include windows, substrates, lenses, domes, and prisms. Meller Optics is ISO 9001:2008 certified and in addition to providing standard, off-the-shelf products, they custom fabricate components that meet exacting specifications from delicate, difficult to work with optical materials. They also supply quality Microlux Alumina polishing abrasives and Gugolz optical polishing pitch.