The Difference Between Infrared Optical Materials

Infrared optical materials refer to materials that can transmit, reflect and refract infrared light. Infrared optical materials have good transmittance and optical properties in the infrared spectrum range, and are widely used in infrared lasers, infrared thermal imagers, infrared detectors and other fields. Among infrared optical materials, there are many kinds of materials such as inorganic crystals, inorganic amorphous materials and organic polymers. There are some differences between these materials, mainly in the following aspects.

First, the chemical composition and structure of infrared optical materials are different. Inorganic crystals are mostly metal or non-metallic oxides, sulfides, selenides and other compounds, the common ones are zinc sulfide, cadmium sulfide, etc.; inorganic amorphous is mainly compounds such as fluoride and oxides, such as magnesium fluoride, calcium oxide, etc. etc.; organic polymers are organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and other elements, such as polypropylene, polytetrafluoroethylene, etc.

Second, there are differences in the physical properties of infrared optical materials. Inorganic crystals have high hardness, thermal stability, and chemical stability, but their high refractive index is prone to internal scattering, which affects optical performance; inorganic amorphous has low refractive index and scattering rate, and is suitable for high Laser delivery of power; organic polymers have low density, mechanical flexibility and transparency, but poor thermal and chemical stability.

Thirdly, the preparation and processing methods of infrared optical materials are different. Inorganic crystals are generally prepared by chemical synthesis or pyrolysis, which require higher temperature and atmosphere control; inorganic amorphous is usually prepared by high-temperature melting method, which requires strict temperature and pressure control; and organic polymers can be prepared by solvent method, hot pressing method , injection molding and other simple methods for preparation and processing.

Finally, the fields of application of infrared optical materials also vary. Inorganic crystals are often used in high-precision optical systems such as infrared optical devices, lasers, and detectors due to their good optical properties and thermal stability; inorganic amorphous crystals are suitable for infrared laser transmission due to their low refractive index and scattering rate. and coatings for infrared optics; organic polymers are commonly used in infrared windows, infrared optical components, and optical fibers due to their mechanical flexibility and low cost.

To sum up, there are differences in chemical composition, physical properties, preparation methods and application fields among infrared optical materials. Understanding and studying these differences can help us choose suitable infrared optical materials to meet the needs of different infrared optical devices.