Component Details:

Plano-convex Aspheric Lens

The surface profile of an aspheric lens significantly reduces the spot size of the focal point, and corrects for the image distortion that is experienced when looking through a traditional spheric lens. The focal length of this lens is 26mm which equates to an enlargement of  9.6x. This aspheric lens is made of B270 optical glass.

Ruby Sphere

At 9 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, this industrial ruby approaches the hardness of a diamond at 10. Precision rubies are typically sought after for their unique properties; it is a continuous and solid crystal, giving it zero porosity, it is inert to nearly all chemicals, has a low friction coefficient, and is dimensionally stable under temperature changes. Ruby is an aluminum oxide Al2O3:Cr and is nearly identical to the resulting coating given to the aluminum housing through the anodizing process. The only difference is that the ruby has trace amounts of chromium that give it the distinctive red color.

The ruby sphere is also quite precise, it has a sphericity of 0.625 micron and a diameter +/- 2.5 micron. To put this into perspective; if the 5mm ruby were scaled up to the size of a soccer ball, it would be spherical to within one-third of the thickness of a standard sheet of printer paper.

6061 T-6 Aluminum Housing

This housing is CNC machined from a solid block of 6061-T6 aluminum. 6061 refers to the alloy, which uses magnesium, silicon, and copper as the major alloying elements. T-6 refers to the type of heat treatment, which is a process that increases the strength of the material.

After machining, the housing goes through a process called anodizing, which results in a hard, protective coating. The process converts the thin outer layer of aluminum into a form of aluminum oxide (Al2O3), which is extremely hard. This housing has a Type III anodized coating which is twice as thick as standard anodizing and is more often found in military and industrial applications. 

"the world gets bigger when you look at the things that are small" is inscribed around the perimeter of the face.   

Silicone o-ring, Stainless Steel Helical Retaining Ring, Set screws

The lens is held firmly in the assembly by a soft silicone rubber o-ring. The o-ring is held in compression against the lens by the helical retaining ring, which is expanded into a groove in the housing. The ruby sphere is held in compression with the M3 set screw. A second, identical set screw is threaded in behind the first to lock it in place and prevent it from unthreading.