Optical Design & Multilayer PVD Coatings
Optical Design & multilayer PVD coatings
You will get an advanced optical design with Zemax and multilayer coatings (ISO 10110)
Price & Scope
Standard
€2,400
Zemax optical design with basic tolerancing and coating specification for up to 5-lens system
- 14 days delivery
- 1 revision
- Model
- Source Files
Premium
€3,800
Advanced Zemax optimization, coatings and analyses for demanding systems
- 21 days delivery
- 2 revisions
- Model
- Source Files
Field of Expertise
Development Tools
File Format
Project summary
We will design an optical or opto‑mechanical system in Zemax OpticStudio with a focus on image quality, stray‑light control, coatings and manufacturability. This includes compact imaging lenses (f < 5 mm), machine vision modules, HUD optics, sensor heads, relay and collimation optics, and custom micro‑lens or micro‑mirror based systems. The design can cover VIS, NIR and UV ranges with appropriate glass and polymer selections and target surface roughness down to Ra < 1 nm in the optical specifications.
What’s included
We work with aspheric and achromatic designs, aberration‑compensated layouts and low‑merit‑function optimization to achieve high MTF and low residual aberrations within realistic manufacturability limits (following ISO‑style surface quality definitions and industry guidelines). The stack can include multilayer PVD coatings such as broadband AR (low‑index, n ≈ 1.45–1.5), high‑reflection dielectric mirrors (R > 99% in VIS–NIR), laser HR/AR at 1064 nm, UV‑compatible coatings and transparent conductive oxides (ITO, AZO) for electrochromic, LCD/OLED or smart‑window elements.
Standard and Premium tier (high complexity)
Standard projects focus on optical layout, choice of materials (including low‑Abbe and specialty polymers with low water uptake, low birefringence and high heat resistance up to ~160°C), basic tolerancing, and coating recommendations documented for future prototyping. Premium projects add more advanced analyses (polychromatic MTF, field curvature, distortion, stray light, polarization, thermal defocus), coating optimization for specific bands, and design notes suitable for rigid or rigid‑flex opto‑mechanical integration via my mechanical and PCB offers. Physical prototyping and coating deposition are not included in this offer.
What we need before starting
● Describe application, sensor type and target field of view
● Specify spectral range (UV, VIS, NIR) and key wavelengths
● Provide mechanical envelope and mounting constraints
● Define image quality/MTF or resolution targets
● Indicate any standards (medical, industrial, environmental)
What’s not included
● No physical lens or coating manufacturing in this offer
● No full mechanical CAD – see my hardware design offer
● No full PCB/electronics design – see my PCB design offer
● No full computer vision or image processing software
● No certification testing or regulatory submissions
Steps for completing your project
1. Requirements and concept definition
Clarify field of view, f‑number and focal length (with emphasis on compact systems with f < 15 mm), spectral bands (NIR/VIS/UV), sensor format, target resolution, environment, vibration constraints and any medical or industrial standards you must meet.
2. Optical layout and initial design
Build a first‑pass lens or mirror layout in Zemax OpticStudio, using singlets, doublets, micro‑lens arrays or mirror systems as needed; select candidate materials (glass or polymers) and define aspheric and achromatic elements where they add real value.
3. Optimization and aberration control
Optimize the system merit function for image quality, spot size and MTF over field and wavelength, compensating aberrations with aspheres and achromatic combinations; refine pupil and field stop locations and check sensitivity.
4. Tolerancing and coatings
Standard: run basic tolerancing, focus sensitivity and alignment studies; specify multilayer AR/HR coatings (PVD) for your bands, e.g. VIS AR, HR mirrors, laser 1064 nm, NIR/UV coatings and simple TCO stacks. Premium: extend tolerancing, add coating optimization for specific bands and incidence angles, and consider thermal effects on focus and coatings.
5. Optomechanical interface definition
Define envelopes, reference surfaces, alignment features, mounting schemes and heat‑management considerations so the optical design can be integrated into mechanical and electronic hardware; detailed mechanical/PCB design is handled via my other offers.
6. Documentation and delivery
Standard: deliver Zemax files, key plots (spot diagrams, MTF, field curves), coating and material specifications and a concise design note. Premium: add extended analysis plots, coating stacks at a summary level, tolerance reports and an integration guideline for your mechanical and PCB teams.
We collaborate under Furtherium, Inc. (US, Canada) and Furtherium UG (EU/UK) with transparent project-based contracts. Most projects take 1-2 weeks with dedicated communication via our private AWS-hosted community or your corporate systems (Slack, Jira, Notion, Asana, Trello, GitHub, etc.). Typical project cost: €4-8k. Hourly rate: €80/hr.
A deal is considered concluded under the terms of the offer once the contractor confirms the client’s request and the client accepts it through payment. Written communications between the parties form an integral part of the agreement and may serve as valid evidence in case of dispute resolution.
Where additional terms are required, a separate contract and detailed specifications for a series of projects may be agreed upon. If necessary, a separate Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) may also be executed; the contractor’s total liability is limited to the total value of the client’s paid orders.
Offer prices are valid as of the date of publication and may be updated by the contractor at any time prior to order confirmation and client acceptance.
All quoted prices are exclusive of VAT. For clients based in Germany, German VAT (MwSt/USt 19%) will be added to all invoices (Down Payment Invoice, Final Settlement, Outstanding Balance Invoice).
For clients based in the EU (excluding Germany), business customers who provide a valid VAT ID will be invoiced without VAT under the reverse-charge mechanism, and VAT will be self-assessed by the customer; if no valid VAT ID is provided, German VAT will be added.
For clients in the United Kingdom, local VAT rules apply depending on the place of supply and the customer’s VAT status.
For clients in the United States and Canada, services are provided by Furtherium, Inc. (California, USA). As our services are generally classified as remote consulting and digital services, they are not usually subject to California sales tax; however, sales tax may be charged where required by applicable US state or Canadian provincial law, for example if taxable software or physical deliverables are supplied or if local economic nexus thresholds are exceeded.
Frequently asked questions
Compact imaging lenses (often with f < 5 mm), machine‑vision and sensor optics, HUD optics, relay and collimation systems, micro‑lens and micro‑mirror based layouts, and systems using dielectric mirrors, AR/HR coatings and transparent electrodes for displays or electrochromic devices.
We cover UV, VIS and NIR designs and can specify multilayer PVD coatings for broadband AR, high‑reflection mirrors (R > 99% VIS–NIR), laser lines (e.g. 1064 nm), UV optics and transparent conducting oxides like ITO or AZO for LCD/OLED, smart windows and sensor electrodes. Coating cost and deposition are not included.
This offer focuses on optical and optomechanical design in Zemax with defined envelopes and interfaces. Detailed mechanical CAD and PCB/electronics design are handled through my separate hardware and advanced PCB offers, which can use this optical design as input.
Standard includes optical layout, material selection, basic optimization, initial tolerancing and coating recommendations. Premium adds more advanced analyses (extended MTF, field curvature, distortion, stray light, polarization and thermal focus), more detailed coating and tolerance studies, and richer documentation for demanding or regulated applications.
No; this project delivers a production‑ready optical design and documentation. Fast in‑house prototyping in Munich using suitable polymers and subcontracted PVD coatings can be offered as a separate follow‑up project once the design is frozen.
