Researchers at Penn State have developed a new composition of germanosilicate glass by adding zinc oxide has properties good for lens applications.
The researchers invented a new family of zinc germanosilicate glass that has a high refractive index comparable to that of pure germania glass. The samples also showed high transparency, good ultra-violet-shielding properties, and good glass forming ability, making them suitable for lens applications.
Germanosilicate glass is essential in the manufacture of optical amplifiers, waveguides, and solid-state lasers.
The researchers published their results in a recent issue of the Journal of Non-Crystalline Solids.
https://news.psu.edu/story/567138/2019/04/03/research/new-family-glass-good-lenses
