Iso 12123 2018

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 12123
Third edition
2018-12
Optics and photonics — Specification

of raw optical glass
Optique et photonique — Spécification d'un verre d'optique brut
iTeh STANDARD PREVIEW

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ISO 12123:2018
https://standards.iteh.ai/catalog/standards/sist/2c760dc7-f29f-4550-a306-
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
Reference number
ISO 12123:2018(E)
© ISO 2018
ISO 12123:2018(E)


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ISO 12123:2018
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
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ii © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

ISO 12123:2018(E)

Contents Page
Foreword......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. vi
1 Scope.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 1
2 Normative references....................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
3 Terms and definitions...................................................................................................................................................................................... 1
4 Tolerances.................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 4
4.1 Principal refractive index................................................................................................................................................................ 4
4.2 Refractive index variation.............................................................................................................................................................. 5
4.3 Abbe number............................................................................................................................................................................................. 5
4.4 Spectral internal transmittance................................................................................................................................................. 5
4.5 UV cut-off edge and colour code............................................................................................................................................... 6
4.5.1 General...................................................................................................................................................................................... 6
4.5.2 UV cut-off edge................................................................................................................................................................... 6
4.5.3 Colour code............................................................................................................................................................................ 6
4.6 Optical homogeneity........................................................................................................................................................................... 6
4.7 Striae................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 7
4.8 Bubbles and inclusions..................................................................................................................................................................... 7
4.9 Stress birefringence............................................................................................................................................................................. 8
5 Deviation of the relative partial dispersion from the normal line — Definition of the
normal lines............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 8
6 Indications for ordering(standards.iteh.ai)
raw glass parts...................................................................................................................................10
Annex A (informative) Recommendation for the specification of raw optical glass for a
given optical element specification ISO................................................................................................................................................
12123:2018 13
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018 21
© ISO 2018 – All rights reserved iii

ISO 12123:2018(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of
any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or
on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www.iso
.org/iso/foreword.html. (standards.iteh.ai)
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 172, Optics and photonics, Subcommittee
SC 3, Optical materials and components. ISO 12123:2018
This third edition cancels and replaces the 636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
second edition (ISO 12123:2010), which has been technically
revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
a) definition of relative partial dispersion and its deviation from normal line and definition of internal
transmittance have been added;
b) grade abbreviations at all tolerances in Clause 4 have been added;
c) all abbreviations have been written with two capital letters with relation to characteristics’ names;
d) in 4.6, an indication for required minimum aperture has been added;
e) in 4.7, striae indication for two and three perpendicular inspection directions has been added;
f) for partial dispersion and its deviation from normal line, the following has been added: dispersion
data for standard crown and flint glass for normal environment, general formula for normal lines
for the relative partial dispersions for any wavelength pairs, examples for six specific line pairs in
Clause 5 and a calculation method and data for calculating dispersion data at temperatures other
than 20 °C (see A.3);
g) in Clause 6, Example 1 for specification of optical raw glass with tolerances grades has been
introduced and extended by adding a second case;
h) in Clause 6, Example 2 has been added and illustrates lens element specification from element over
pressing to raw glass specification;
i) Tables have been renumbered.
iv © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

ISO 12123:2018(E)

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

(standards.iteh.ai)
ISO 12123:2018
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
© ISO 2018 – All rights reserved v

ISO 12123:2018(E)

Introduction
Raw optical glass comes as strip glass, pressings block glass or large castings. Its characteristics
are widely the same as those for optical elements such as lenses and prisms. However, the tolerance
limits and their applicability are not the same. This comes from the fact that as a rule the raw optical
glass delivery forms are much larger than the optical elements which will be made out of them. A
glass strip of 280 mm length, 160 mm width and 40 mm thickness renders hundreds of small lenses.
Simply transferring the glass requirements on the single lens to the total strip will lead to confusion
or to severe over-specification. Required complete absence of bubbles and inclusions in a lens cannot
mean the same requirement on the strip. A high homogeneity requirement for a small lens extended
to the total strip without restricting it to the intended lens diameter will result in a uselessly narrow
tolerance. It is even detrimental since it will lead to unnecessary high costs or even inability of the glass
manufacturer to deliver the material requested.
The absolute refractive index and the Abbe number as a measure of dispersion apply for the raw
optical glass formats as well as for the optical elements to be made out of them. Two variations of the
refractive index have to be distinguished clearly: the first is the variation among different pieces of a
common delivery lot and the second is the limited variation within a single piece, which is called optical
homogeneity. The variation within a delivery lot is a symmetric tolerance with the test certificate value
of the refractive index as reference. The optical homogeneity has no such practically determinable
reference value. It is given as a span width (peak-to-valley) tolerance.
Refering to the size of the optical elements to be made out of the raw glass items will expedite offers and
delivery. This holds especially for all homogeneity characteristics (refractive index variation: optical
homogeneity, short-range refractive index variation: striae, material contiguity: bubbles and inclusions
and refractive index polarization homogeneity: stress birefringence). In general, homogeneity
(standards.iteh.ai)
tolerances increase requirements on quality strongly.
This edition introduces grade denominations forISO tolerance limits for the main properties of optical raw
12123:2018
glass. The characteristics colour code and UV cut-off edge are different possibilities to describe position
and slope of the UV-transmission edge of optical glasses.
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
Furthermore, this edition introduces definitions, reference formulae and data needed for calculating
the deviation of the relative partial dispersion from the normal line. This quantity serves to value the
suitability of optical glasses for colour aberration correction beyond achromatic correction of only two
colours. The key element is the definition of two reference dispersion curves, one of a standard crown
and one of a standard flint glass. Based on these curves normal line parameters can be derived for
partial dispersions of any two wavelengths between 365 nm and 1 014 nm. In order to support the
main target of improving comparison of glass types from different vendors examples for normal lines
are given for six wavelength pairs covering the spectral range as specified above. The dispersion data
of the reference glass types are valid for the temperature 20 °C. The annex contains the method for
calculating the dispersion data for temperatures different from 20 °C.
The Annex of the document gives some explanations and recommendations for applying the document
in ways which avoid over-specification and its unfavourable consequences.
This document was prepared in coordination with the preparation of ISO 10110-18, which provides a
notation for the material tolerances of finished optical elements.
vi © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 12123:2018(E)
Optics and photonics — Specification of raw optical glass
1 Scope
This document gives rules for the specification of raw optical glass. It serves as a complement to the
ISO 10110 series, which provides rules specifying finished optical elements. Since raw optical glass can
be quite different in shape and size from the optical elements, its specification also differs from that of
optical elements.
This document provides guidelines for the essential specification characteristics of raw optical glass
in order to improve communication between glass suppliers and optical element manufacturers. For
specific applications (e.g. lasers, the infrared spectral range), specifications based on this document
need supplements.
While the intent of this document is to address the specific needs of raw optical glass, many of the
parameters and characteristics are common to other optical materials, which are not necessarily glass.
While this document can be used for non-glass materials, the user is informed that only optical glass
has been considered in the development of this document, and other materials can have issues, which
have not been taken into consideration.
NOTE Additional information on how to translate optical element specifications into raw optical glass
specifications is given in Annex A.
(standards.iteh.ai)
2 Normative references
ISO 12123:2018
There are no normative references in this document.
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
3.1
refractive index
n
ratio of the velocity of the electromagnetic waves at a specific wavelength in a vacuum to the velocity of
the waves in the medium
Note 1 to entry: See ISO 7944.
Note 2 to entry: For practical reasons, this document refers to the refractive index in air.
3.2
principal refractive index
refractive index in the middle range of the visible spectrum commonly used to characterize an
optical glass
Note 1 to entry: This principal refractive index is usually denoted as nd, the refractive index at the wavelength
587,56 nm, or ne, the refractive index at the wavelength 546,07 nm.
© ISO 2018 – All rights reserved 1

ISO 12123:2018(E)

Note 2 to entry: The specific values for different glass types refer to standard environmental conditions (20 °C
and 1 013 hPa according to ISO 1[1]). For all other temperatures and pressures, the specific temperature and
pressure of interest shall be indicated.
3.3
refractive index variation
maximum difference of refractive index between samples of optical glasses
3.4
dispersion
measure of the change of the refractive index with wavelength
3.5
partial dispersion
difference of refractive index nλ1 − nλ2 between two wavelengths λ1 and λ2
EXAMPLE nF − nC; nF ′ − nC′
nF and nC are the refractive indices at wavelengths 486,13 nm and 656,27 nm;
and nF ′ and nC′ are the refractive indices at wavelengths 479,99 nm and 643,85 nm.
nF – nC frequently serving as reference it is often called principal partial dispersion.
3.6
relative partial dispersion
difference of refractive index nλ1 – nλ2 between two wavelengths λ1 and λ2 related to another partial
dispersion nλ3 – nλ4 between two other wavelengths λ3 and λ4
Pλ1,λ2,λ3,λ4 = (nλ1 – nλ2) / (nλ3 – nλ4)(standards.iteh.ai)
EXAMPLE
ISO 12123:2018
Pg,F,F,C = (ng – nF ) / (nF – nC ) = Pg,F
ng is the refractive index at wavelength 435,83636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
nm.
If related to the principal partial dispersion, nF – nC indices for λ1 and λ2 are usually omitted.
3.7
Abbe number
most common characterization of the dispersion of optical glasses
EXAMPLE 1 The Abbe number for the d-line is defined as
( nd − 1 )
vd =
( n F − nC )
where
nF is the refractive index at wavelength 486,13 nm;
nC is the refractive index at wavelength 656,27 nm.
EXAMPLE 2 The Abbe number for the e-line is defined as
( ne − 1 )
ve =
(n F′
−n
C′ )
where
nF ′ is the refractive index at wavelength 479,99 nm;
nC′ is the refractive index at wavelength 643,85 nm.
2 © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

ISO 12123:2018(E)

3.8
glass type
letter/number designation used in the manufacturer's catalogue to designate or characterize the
glasses offered
Note 1 to entry: An alphanumeric designation is the manufacturer's option and is usually a proprietary
trade name, and therefore indeterminate. For example, borosilicate crown glass is designated N-BK by one
manufacturer, but S-BSL and BSC by others.
Note 2 to entry: An alternative way to specify a glass type is the glass code. It is a six-digit number and refers to
the optical position of the individual glass types. The first three digits refer to the refractive index nd, the second
three digits to the Abbe number vd. For N-BK7 e.g. it is 517642. This glass code, however, does not denominate a
glass type unequivocally. The same glass code can be valid for glass types of very different chemical compositions
and hence other properties can differ also very significantly.
3.9
deviation of the relative partial dispersion
glass type specific distance of the relative partial dispersion Pλ1,λ2 (glass type) from that of the normal
line Pλ1,λ2 (normal line)
ΔPλ1,λ2 (glass type) = Pλ1,λ2 (glass type) − Pλ1,λ2 (normal line)
ΔPλ1,λ2 (glass type) = Pλ1,λ2 (glass type) − (a λ1,λ2 + bλ1,λ2 · vd)
The line parameters a λ1,λ2 and bλ1,λ2 define the normal line
ΔPλ1,λ2 (normal line) = a λ1,λ2 + bλ1,λ2 · vd
(standards.iteh.ai)
for each partial dispersion. ISO 12123:2018
Note 1 to entry: They are calculated from the partial dispersion/Abbe number combinations of a standard crown
and a standard flint glass type. 636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
Note 2 to entry: The deviation of the relative partial dispersion is a measure how suitable a glass type is for the
correction of colour aberrations in imaging.
3.10
transmittance
ratio of the transmitted radiant flux to the incident radiant flux of a collimated, monochromatic beam
that passes, at normal incidence, through a plane parallel polished plate
3.11
spectral transmittance
measure of the variation of the transmittance with wavelength
3.12
internal transmittance
ratio of the radiant flux to the incident radiant flux of a collimated beam that passes, at normal incidence,
through a plane parallel polished plate, excluding reflection losses at the surfaces
3.13
spectral internal transmittance
measure of the variation of the internal transmittance with wavelength
3.14
UV cut-off edge
UVC 80/10
position and the slope of the transmittance cut-off edge in the short wavelength range and given by the
wavelengths at 80 % and 10 % internal transmittance

ISO 12123:2018(E)

3.15
colour code
CC
position and slope of the transmittance cut-off edge in the short wavelength range, given by the
wavelengths at 80 % and 5 % transmittance including reflection losses
3.16
optical homogeneity
gradual refractive index variation within a single piece of optical glass given by the difference between
the maximum and minimum values of the refractive index within the optical glass
Note 1 to entry: Interferometric inspection records only lateral relative refractive index changes within the
measured aperture accumulated over the glass thickness and with higher order than linear. For changes along
the sight axis and linear changes across the aperture it is insensitive. Such inspection is not fully in accordance
with the definition of optical homogeneity but suitable for almost all applications except for very thick or large
glass pieces.
3.17
striae
short spatial range variation of refractive index in glass with typical spatial extent from below one
millimetre up to several millimetres
3.18
inclusion
localized bulk material imperfections
EXAMPLE iTeh STANDARD PREVIEW
Bubbles, striae knots, small stones, sand and crystals.
3.19 (standards.iteh.ai)
bubble
gaseous void in the bulk optical material, of generally circular cross section
ISO 12123:2018
Note 1 to entry: Bubbles and solid inclusions are treated the same in assessing the quality of optical glass.
636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
3.20
stress birefringence
birefringence caused by residual stresses within the glass, generally as a result of different cooling
histories of different partial volumes of a given piece of glass during the forming and/or annealing
process, and producing an optical path difference between the ordinary and extraordinary rays for
plane polarized light passing through the glass
Note 1 to entry: The optical path length difference is proportional to the magnitude of mechanical stress.
4 Tolerances
4.1 Principal refractive index

The preferred tolerance ranges for the principal refractive index (Grade denomination NP) are given in
Table 1.
4 © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

ISO 12123:2018(E)

Table 1 — Tolerances for principal refractive index

Grade Principal refractive index tolerance limits
NP200 ±200 × 10−5
NP100 ±100 × 10−5
NP050 ±50 × 10−5
NP030 ±30 × 10−5
NP020 ±20 × 10−5
NP010 ±10 × 10−5
4.2 Refractive index variation

Fine annealed raw glasses will be arranged in delivery lots based on the refractive index variation.
Therefore, the refractive index variation shall also be specified (Grade denomination NV). All parts of a
delivery lot shall meet the tolerances for refractive index given in Table 2.
Table 2 — Tolerances for refractive index variation within a delivery lot

Grade Refractive index variation tolerance limits
NV30 ±30 × 10−5
iTeh
NV20 STANDARD±20 PREVIEW
× 10 −5
NV10 ±10 × 10 −5
NV05
(standards.iteh.ai)
±5 × 10 −5
NV02 ISO 12123:2018±2 × 10−5

4.3 Abbe number 636955e5c762/iso-12123-2018
The tolerances for the Abbe number (Grade denomination AN) are given in Table 3.
Table 3 — Tolerances for Abbe number

Grade Abbe number tolerance limits
AN8 ±0,8 %
AN5 ±0,5 %
AN3 ±0,3 %
AN2 ±0,2 %
AN1 ±0,1 %
Alternative indication of absolute Abbe number tolerance limits based on the grades of Table 3 is also
acceptable.
4.4 Spectral internal transmittance

Spectral internal transmittance data shall be reported for thicknesses of 10 mm, and optionally 3 mm,
5 mm or 25 mm thicknesses. The reference thickness shall be listed in the manufacturer's catalogue or
data sheet. The data shall be the typical spectral internal transmittance for a given glass type. It can be
the median value of several different melts. If the buyer's requirement for melt data or minimum values
for spectral internal transmittance are critical, the requirement shall be specified on the drawing or in
the purchase order.

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INTERNATIONAL ISO

Optics and photonics — Specification

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iTeh STANDARD PREVIEW

COPYRIGHT PROTECTED DOCUMENT

ii ﻿ © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

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iv ﻿ © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

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vi ﻿ © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Optics and photonics — Specification of raw optical glass

© ISO 2018 – All rights reserved ﻿ 1

nF – nC frequently serving as reference it is often called principal partial dispersion.

nF is the refractive index at wavelength 486,13 nm;

nC is the refractive index at wavelength 656,27 nm.

EXAMPLE 2 The Abbe number for the e-line is defined as

nF ′ is the refractive index at wavelength 479,99 nm;

nC′ is the refractive index at wavelength 643,85 nm.

2 ﻿ © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

ΔPλ1,λ2 (glass type) = Pλ1,λ2 (glass type) − (a λ1,λ2 + bλ1,λ2 · vd)

© ISO 2018 – All rights reserved ﻿ 3

4.1 Principal refractive index

4 ﻿ © ISO 2018 – All rights reserved

Table 1 — Tolerances for principal refractive index

4.2 Refractive index variation

Table 2 — Tolerances for refractive index variation within a delivery lot

NV02 ISO 12123:2018±2 × 10−5

Table 3 — Tolerances for Abbe number

4.4 Spectral internal transmittance

© ISO 2018 – All rights reserved ﻿ 5

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