Products Home / Optical Elements / Optical Mirrors / Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors / Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors with Through Holes, UV-Enhanced AluminumOff-Axis Parabolic Mirrors with Through Holes, UV-Enhanced Aluminum
- Centered Hole for Superposition of Two Beams
- UV-Enhanced Aluminum Coating
- Available with Reflected Focal Lengths of 2", 4", or 6"
- SM-Threaded, Unthreaded, and Post-Mountable Adapters
Provide Flexible Mounting Options
MPD229H-F01
Ø2", RFL = 2"
MPD269V-F01
Ø2", RFL = 6"
Through Beam is Parallel to Focused Beam
Through Beam is Parallel to Collimated Beam
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After initial fabrication, all of our off-axis parabolic mirrors are finished on our single-point diamond turning machine. Visit our Custom Mirrors tab for more information.
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Base View of Hole Parallel to Collimated Beam
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Back View of Hole Parallel to Focused Beam
Features
- Centered Hole for Through Beam
- Two Hole Orientations Available
- Parallel to Focused Beam: Ø8 mm Entrance Hole in Back Tapers Down to Ø3 mm Hole in Mirror Surface
- Parallel to Collimated Beam: Ø3.2 mm Hole from the Mirror Surface to the Flat Base
- Reflected Beam is Focused without Spherical or Chromatic Aberrations
- UV-Enhanced Aluminum Coating Offers >90% Average Reflectance from 250 - 450 nm
- Reflected Focal Lengths: 2'', 4", or 6"
- Surface Roughness: <100 Å (RMS)
- Three Kinds of Mounting Adapters for Ø2" Mirrors:
- Externally SM-Threaded
- Unthreaded for Use in Mirror Mounts
- With 8-32 (M4) Taps for Post Mounting
- Custom Off-Axis Parabolas with Holes Available (Contact Tech Support)
Thorlabs' Off-Axis Parabolic (OAP) Mirrors with Holes are designed for applications that require two beams to propagate collinearly through space. Each mirror’s reflective surface can achromatically focus a collimated beam or collimate a point source, while the off-axis design separates the focal point from the rest of the beam path. Two hole orientations are available: parallel to the focused beam or parallel to the collimated beam.
Mirrors with holes that allow a through beam to be combined with a focused reflected beam are denoted by item #s that include an “H.” The Ø8 mm hole in the back of the substrate tapers down to a Ø3 mm hole as it approaches the mirror surface, permitting the through beam to be focused by a lens as it propagates. These mirrors are often used in electro-optic sampling measurements and other pump-probe experiments, such as time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS). In these experiments, it is necessary to illuminate the electro-optic crystal with a pump beam passing through the parabola so that it overlaps with the focus of the THz probe beam that is reflected off of the surface of the parabola.
Mirrors with holes that allow a through beam to be combined with a collimated reflected beam are denoted by item #s that include a “V.” The Ø3.2 mm bore is large enough to accept a beam from our HeNe lasers. Due to the hole passing through the base of the part, these mirrors cannot be used with any of our OAP mirror mounting adapters. Instead, our smooth bore mounting adapters can be used to mount these parts.
As with the rest of our off-axis parabolas, these mirrors are segments of a parent paraboloid. They achromatically focus a collimated beam, and their reflective design eliminates phase delays and absorption losses introduced by transmissive optics. This makes them well suited for use with femtosecond pulsed lasers. The angle between the focused beam and the collimated beam (off-axis angle) is 90°. As shown in the diagrams above, the collimated beam should be normal to the base of the substrate to achieve a proper focus. The diamond-turned parabolic surface has a UV-enhanced aluminum coating that provides >90% average reflectance from 250 - 450 nm (see the Graphs tab for a plot of the coating performance).
The OAP mirrors are fabricated using aluminum substrates. The base of each mirror has three tapped mounting holes in a triangle pattern and an alignment hole. For OAP mirrors with holes parallel to the focused beam, the holes in the base can be used with a mounting adapter (see the Mounting Adapters tab for more details). Holes parallel to the collimated beam pass through the base of the OAP mirror, so mounting adapters cannot be used with these parts. The non-optical surfaces are black-anodized and laser-engraved with the item number for easy identification as shown in the image to the right. The interiors of both types of through holes are not anodized.
| Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors Selection Guidea | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mirror Coating (See Graphs Tab for Reflectance) |
Wavelength Range |
 90° Off-Axis |
 15°, 30°, 45°, 60° Off-Axis |
 90°, Hole Parallel to Focused Beam |
 90°, Hole Parallel to Collimated Beam |
| UV-Enhanced Aluminum | 250 nm - 450 nm |  |
Customb | |
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| Protected Aluminum | 450 nm - 20 µm | |
Customb | ||
| Protected Silver | 450 nm - 20 µm | |
|
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Customb |
| Protected Gold | 800 nm - 20 µm | |
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| Unprotected Gold | 800 nm - 20 µm | |
Customb | |
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- To view the product presentation for each of our stocked off-axis parabolic mirrors, click the blue check icon (
). - We can manufacture off-axis parabolic mirrors with a variety of coatings, features, and off-axis angles. To request a quote for a custom mirror, please contact Tech Support.
| Common Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Metalic Coating | UV-Enhanced Aluminum |
| Reflectance (Average) | >90% Average Reflectance from 250 - 450 nm |
| Off-Axis Angle | 90° |
| Clear Aperture | >90% of Diametera, Not Including Hole |
| Surface Roughness (RMS) | <100 Å |
| Surface Quality | 40-20 Scratch-Dig |
| Parent Focal Length Tolerance | ±1% |
| Reflected Focal Length Tolerance | ±1% |
| Mounting Holesb | 8-32 Taps in Radial Pattern (3 Places) |
| Substrate | Aluminum |
| Manufacturing Process | Diamond Turned |
| Item # | Diametera | Thicknessa | RFLa,b | PFLa,c | Hole Orientationa | Hole Diametera | Reflected Wavefront Error (RMS) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MPD229H-F01 | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | 1" (25.4 mm) | Parallel to Focused Beam |
3 mm on Coated Surface 8 mm on Back of Substrate |
<λ/2 at 633 nm |
| MPD249H-F01 | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 4" (101.6 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | <λ/4 at 633 nm | ||
| MPD269H-F01 | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 6" (152.4 mm) | 3" (76.2 mm) | |||
| MPD249V-F01 | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 4" (101.6 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | Parallel to Collimated Beam |
3.2 mm (0.13") | |
| MPD269V-F01 | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 6" (152.4 mm) | 3" (76.2 mm) |
The shaded regions in the graphs denotes the ranges over which we guarantee the specified reflectance. Please note that the reflectance outside of these bands is typical and can vary from lot to lot, especially in out-of-band regions where the reflectance is fluctuating or sloped.
The bottom of each off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirror contains three tapped mounting holes in a triangle pattern and an alignment hole. These holes are used to attach our Mounting Adapters, which contain three corresponding counterbore holes or captive screws and an alignment pin (see the image to the right). Together, these features allow our OAP mirrors to be securely mounted. The tapped holes are also useful in OEM applications.
We offer three types of mounting plates for Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2" OAP mirrors. The first type is designed to be mounted in any Ø1", Ø2", or Ø3" mirror mount, depending upon the diameter of the OAP mirror. The second type, designed for post mounting, contains an 8-32 (M4) tapped hole on all four sides for direct mechanical compatibility with Ø1/2" Posts. The third type is externally SM threaded for direct compatibility with any of our internally SM-threaded components, such as our rotation mounts. For Ø1" 90° OAP mirrors, the KCB1P(/M) right-angle mount allows for cage system integration. The table below shows all of these options.
Our Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2" OAP mirrors can also be adapted to our SM threads by placing them into our SM Thread to Double Bore Adapters. This type of adapter allows rotation of the OAP mirror with respect to the adapter prior to securing its position, whereas when using the SM-threaded adapters offered on this page, the final location of the OAP mirror is dictated either by the threads themselves (when fully threaded into a mount) or by using the provided retaining ring to secure it in place.
For Ø3" OAP mirrors, we offer the SM2MP3 mounting adapter, which contains four 8-32 tapped holes for post mounting and has external SM2 threading for mounting in our SM2-threaded components, such as the K6X2 6-axis kinematic mount.
Alternatively, all of our OAP mirrors may be directly mounted in our Precision Kinematic Mirror Mounts using their outer diameter.
| OAP Mirror Mounting Adapters | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adapter Type | Example Photo (Click to Enlarge) |
OAP Mirror Diameter | |||
| 1/2" | 1" | 2" | 3" | ||
| Smooth Bore |  |
MP127P1 For Ø1" Mounts |
MP254P1 For Ø2" Mounts |
MP508P1a For Ø3" Mounts |
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| Post Mounting |  |
MP127P2(/M) 8-32 (M4) Taps |
MP254P2(/M) 8-32 (M4) Taps |
MP508P2(/M)a 8-32 (M4) Taps |
SM2MP3 8-32 Taps |
| SM-Threaded |  |
SM05MP External SM05 (0.535"-40) |
SM1MP External SM1 (1.035"-40) |
SM2MPa External SM2 (2.035"-40) |
SM2MP3 External SM2 (2.035"-40) |
| Right-Angle OAP Mirror Mount |
 |
- | KCB1P(/M) 30 mm Cage Compatible 1/4"-20 (M6) Tap |
- | - |
Click to EnlargeSelecting a Mirror Based on Desired Output Beam Diameter
When using an off-axis parabolic mirror to collimate a point source, selection of the appropriate mirror is often done based on the desired output beam diameter. Beam diameter can be calculated using the divergence half-angle of the incident light (Θ) and the reflected focal length of the OAP. To calculate the beam diameter in the small angle approximation, use the following equation:
Beam Diameter = 2 x sin(Θ) x Reflected Focal Length
If you are collimating from a fiber, the equation can be rewritten as:
Beam Diameter = 2 x NA (Fiber) x Reflected Focal Length
The graph to the right visualizes the equations above, showing the relationship between the point source's divergence and collimated beam diameter. Each line represents an OAP with a particular reflected focal length. Not listed here is the diameter of the OAP. The clear aperture of the OAP you select should be larger than the desired beam output diameter.
Custom Off-Axis Parabolic (OAP) and Aspheric Mirrors
Key Capabilities
- Nanotech® 450UPL Ultra Precision 3-Axis CNC Diamond Turning Lathe for Individual Custom Mirrors
- Custom Sizes, Focal Lengths, Substrates, Coatings, and Clearance Holes
- Off- and On-Axis Parabolic, Conical, and Toroidal Mirrors
- Biconic Surfaces and Irregular Aspheric Optics
Thorlabs' advanced single-point diamond turning capabilities allow us to produce custom OAP and aspheric mirrors in small quantities. We can produce long focal length and large diameter optics, as well as optics with custom shapes.
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We offer OAP mirrors with custom sizes, focal lengths, substrates, coatings, and clearance holes.
In addition to our stock off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirrors, Thorlabs is also capable of manufacturing a variety of custom aspheric mirrors. Our unique single-point diamond turning (SPDT) capabilities allow us to produce these customs in low quantities at prices that are comparable with our stock offerings. As shown in the video to the right, we engage the slow-slide-servo process of our SPDT machine to polish individual off-axis mirrors by synchronizing the rotational position of the spindle with the linear position of the translation axes.
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Toroidal mirrors have two different radii of curvature and are used to image off-axis points without introducing astigmatism.
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Conical mirrors provide 360° of illumination.
This unique manufacturing capability allows us to provide OAP mirrors with custom reflected focal lengths and diameters, including long-focal-length and large-diameter optics that cannot be produced by conventional two-axis machining. In addition, we can produce OAP mirrors with a variety of custom substrates (including copper), custom coatings, and custom hole sizes and shapes. The use of copper substrates and other advanced techniques also allow us to offer OAP mirrors with enhanced finishes that exhibit less surface roughness than our our stock products, resulting in improved wavefront quality.
Our SPDT competency also enables us to produce mirrors with other custom biconic surfaces and aspheric shapes, including on-axis parabolic, conical, and toroidal mirrors. These custom mirror shapes can be used in a wide variety of optical instruments and specialized imaging systems. For example, toroidal mirrors, which are used to image off-axis points without introducing astigmatism, are commonly used in compact Czerny-Turner monochromators. Conical mirrors, on the other hand, are ideal for non-imaging applications that require 360° of uniform illumination.
We are generally able to produce custom OAP mirrors and aspheric mirrors with short lead times. For modifications to an existing part, delivery in 4-6 weeks is standard. For custom shapes and long focal length optics, a 6-8 week lead time is typical. To receive more information or a quote for a custom optic, please contact Tech Support.
Our engineers are available to help manufacture optics for your application.
Customs are available in low quantities at prices that are comparable with our stock catalog products.
Please contact techsupport@thorlabs.com with your custom optic requests.
Insights into Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors
Scroll down to read about the unique properties of off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirrors and how to take advantage of them:
- The Off-Axis Angle
- Locating the Optical and Focal Axes of an OAP
Click here for more insights into lab practices and equipment.
The Off-Axis Angle
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Figure 2: It is common to measure the width of the parabola with respect to a line that passes through the focus and is perpendicular to the axis.
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Figure 1: One section of the parent parabola provides a 90° off-axis angle.
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Figure 4: Decreasing the width of the parabola increases the off-axis angle. For example, compare this illustration with Figure 2.
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Figure 3: Choosing a section closer to the axis of the parabola results in a smaller off-axis angle.
The off-axis angle ( θ ) of an OAP mirror is measured between the mirror's optical and focal axes. The OAP mirror in Figure 1 has a 90° angle.
The angle depends on the segment of the parent parabola used for the OAP mirror, as well as the width (Figure 2) of the parent parabola.
Proximity of Parabolic Segment and Focal Point
Choosing a segment of the parent parabola closer to the focal point reduces the off-axis angle. The mirror in Figure 3 has a smaller angle than the one in Figure 2, but the only difference between them is that the section of the parabola selected for the OAP mirror in Figure 3 is closer to the focal point.
The location of the parabolic segment also controls the focal length. Choosing a parabolic segment closer to the focal point results in a shorter distance between the center of the mirror and the focal point.
Width of the Parent Parabola
Increasing the width of the parent parabola decreases the off-axis angle. This inverse relationship is illustrated by Figures 3 and 4. The width of the parabola is larger in Figure 3, and this is also the mirror with a smaller angle.
The width of the parent parabola also affects the focal length. The wider the parabola, the longer the focal length.
Available Off-Axis Angles
OAP mirrors are often designed to have a 90° off-axis angle, but OAP mirrors with angles less than 90° are also common.
Date of Last Edit: Dec. 4, 2019
Locating the Optical and Focal Axes of an OAP
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Figure 6: The orientation of the optical axis can be found by noting it is perpendicular to the base of the mirror's substrate. The location of the focal point can be estimated by considering collimated light rays that are directed parallel to the optical axis. These rays reflect symmetrically around the local surface normals and pass through the mirror's focal point.
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Figure 5: OAP mirrors have a flat, round base and a side that varies in height around the circumference. The planar base is normal to the mirror's optical axis. Shown above is the MPD2151-P01.
When working with off-axis parabolic (OAP) mirrors, it can be challenging to identify the optical and focal axes. This is particularly true when the parabolic curvature of the surface is hard to see (Figure 5).
The physical characteristics and dimensions of the mirror's substrate can provide a useful guide when positioning and aligning the mirror.
The mirror's substrate has a flat, round base. The optical axis is oriented normal to this planar base. Therefore, collimated light should be directed normal to the surface of the base.
The substrate has a tall side and a short side, and the reflective surface is sloped between them. The surface normal at different points across the reflector can be roughly estimated by visually examining the surface (Figure 6).
The location of the focal point can be estimated by considering a ray of collimated light, parallel to the optical axis, that reflects from the surface of the mirror. The incident ray reflects symmetrically about the surface normal. The reflected ray will pass through the focal point. By mentally tracing two rays from positions close to the tall and short sides of the mirror, respectively, it should be possible to estimate the location of the focal point.
Mounting and Alignment Features on Thorlabs' OAP Mirrors
Thorlabs' OAP mirrors have an alignment hole and three tapped mounting holes machined into the bottom surface of their bases. The pattern of tapped holes matches the vertices of an equilateral triangle, and the position of the smooth-bore alignment hole indicates the short side of the OAP mirror. The tapped holes are designed to secure the mirror to mounting adapters or mounting platforms.
Date of Last Edit: Dec. 4, 2019
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| Item # | MPD229H-F01 | MPD249H-F01 | MPD269H-F01 | MPD249V-F01 | MPD269V-F01 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diametera | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) |
| Reflected Focal Length (RFL)a | 2" (50.8 mm) | 4" (101.6 mm) | 6" (152.4 mm) | 4" (101.6 mm) | 6" (152.4 mm) |
| Parent Focal Lengtha | 1" (25.4 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | 3" (76.2 mm) | 2" (50.8 mm) | 3" (76.2 mm) |
| Hole Orientation | Parallel to Focused Beam | Parallel to Collimated Beamb | |||
| Hole Diameter | 3 mm on Coated Surface 8 mm on Back of Substrate |
3.2 mm (0.13") | |||
| Thicknessa | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | 2.47" (62.8 mm) | ||
| Off-Axis Angle | 90° | 90° | |||
| Reflected Wavefront Error | <λ/2 at 633 nm | <λ/4 at 633 nm | <λ/4 at 633 nm | ||
| Bottom Mounting Holes | Three 8-32 Tapsc | Three 8-32 Tapsb | |||
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Ø2" OAP Mirror with Hole Parallel to Focused Beam Mounted on a Ø1/2" Post
Using an MP508P2 Adapter
- Contain Three #8 Counterbores and an Alignment Pin for Mounting to Ø2" OAP Mirrors
- SM2MP: Diameter is Externally SM2 Threaded
- MP508P1: Designed to Fit into Ø3" Mirror Mounts
- MP508P2(/M): Post Mountable in Four Orientations
Our Mounting Adapters for Ø2" Off-Axis Parabolic Mirrors provide mounting alternatives to our smooth bore kinematic mirror mounts. Each contains three #8 counterbores that are positioned to align with the 8-32 tapped holes on our Ø2" OAP Mirrors. Please note that these adapters will block the through holes on OAP Mirrors with holes parallel to the collimated beam. Our smooth bore mounting adapters can be used to mount these parts.
SM2MP
The SM2MP OAP Mirror Adapter is externally SM2 threaded (2.035"-40), which allows a Ø2" OAP mirror to be directly mounted to an internally SM2-threaded component. The adapter is designed to allow easy adaptability to a 60 mm cage system as well as SM2-threaded mirror, translation, and rotation mounts. The included SM2RR retaining ring secures the adapter in place when it is threaded into a mount. An SPW604 and SPW801 Spanner Wrench can be used to thread the retaining ring and adapter, respectively. Three low profile 8-32 cap screws and the required 5/64" hex key are provided with each adapter.
MP508P1
The unthreaded MP508P1 OAP Mirror Adapter is sized to fit inside a Ø3" mirror mount, such as the KS3 Mirror Mount shown above. Three standard 8-32 cap screws and the required 9/64" hex key are provided with each adapter.
MP508P2(/M)
The MP508P2(/M) OAP Mirror Adapter contains four 8-32 (M4) taps, for post mounting, that orient the OAP mirror at right angles. The distance from the center of the optic to the edge of the mount in the MP508P2 is 1.5" (38.1 mm), allowing for standardized optical axis heights when used with a fixed height post, such as our Ø1" Posts. Please note that the MP508P2(/M) is not compatible with Ø3" mirror mounts, and is instead designed for post mounting. Three standard 8-32 cap screws and the required 9/64" hex key are provided with each adapter.
90° UV-Enhanced Aluminum OAPs with Through Holes