Vacuum Ultraviolet (VUV-UV) Plano-Convex Spherical Lenses are available select VUV Grade Magnesium Fluoride (MgF2) and VUV Grade Calcium Fluoride (CaF2) materials.
 

Magnesium Fluoride:  MgF2 exhibits high transmission properties from ~ 120nm Vacuum UV (VUV) to ~ 6.0um in the Infrared.  MgF2 is a relatively hard crystalline material resistant to mechanical and thermal shock.  MgF2 is a birefringent crystal typically oriented along the optical axis to avoid birefringent effects in windows & lenses. 

Calcium Fluoride:  CaF2 exhibits good transmission properties from ~ 145nm Vacuum UV (VUV) to ~ 8.0um in the Infrared.  CaF2 is a relatively soft crystalline material and care should be taken as CaF2 is sensitive to mechanical and thermal shock.  CaF2 is a cubic single crystal optical material.

VUV-UV Plano-Convex Spherical Lenses have one flat (plano) surface and one spherical surface curved outward (convex) to converge the VUV-UV transmitted rays from an object, thus forming a real or virtual image of that object.  A VUV-UV Plano-Convex Spherical Lens is used as a simple imaging lens to focus, collect and collimate VUV-UV light.  These lenses have positive Effective Focal Lengths and are generally used as a focussing element within an VUV-UV optical assembly, VUV-UV instrument or VUV-UV laser.

More information can be found on our Material Properties Page.   For more information about Spherical Lenses, refer to our Optics Tutorial page. 
                               

                                                               CaF2 Refractive Index 

                                                 
                                                          MgF2 Refractive Index

* Also see our UV Fused Silica & BK7 Glass Spherical Lenses

                   VUV-UV Optical Materials % Transmission Overview: 

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            (Materials transmittance can vary slightly and this data should be used as a reference only.  Based on 2-3mm Thick.)