SAPPHIRE & RUBY BALLS HEMISPHERES

A broad range of sapphire and ruby balls that can be precision ground into lenses with short focal lengths for use in micro air vehicle operations has been introduced by Meller Optics, Inc. of Providence, Rhode Island.

Meller Sapphire and Ruby Balls feature 9 Mohs hardness, which is second only to diamond, and are unaffected by fast moving dirt and impervious to most chemicals, solvents, and detergents. Ideal for fly-sized insect drones or micro air UAVs, they can be precision ground into short focal length micro plano-convex lenses and are available A/R coated and provide 85 to 98% typical transmission, depending upon application.

Featuring surface finishes to 80-20 scratch-dig, Meller Sapphire and Ruby Balls are offered in 42 inch and metric sizes from 0.1mm to 0.5” dia. with 0.000025” sphericity and ±0.0001” basic diameter tolerance. In addition to micro lenses, applications for micro-miniature sapphire and ruby balls include bearings, check valves, stylus tips, and fiber optic lens systems.

Meller Sapphire and Ruby Balls are priced according to material, size, and quantity; delivered from stock. Samples and price quotations are available.