The difference between a collimator and a focusing mirror
Collimator and focusing mirror are two kinds of optical devices with different functions, and their differences are mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Functions:- The function of the collimator is to turn the laser beam or other light source into a parallel beam to ensure that the light travels in a straight line,which is essential to ensure the normal operation of subsequent optical components (such as focusing mirrors).The collimator has high requirements on the beam,and must maintain high parallelism and stability to avoid affecting the final imaging effect and quality.
- The function of the focusing mirror is to focus the parallel beam into a point in order to produce a high-intensity spot of light at a specific location,which is often used in scenes that require precise lighting or focusing,such as laser cutting,medical irradiation,and so on.
Location:
- The collimator is generally located closer to the light source, that is,the back part of the inside of the cutting head.
- The focusing mirror is usually located in the front part of the inside of the cutting head and is responsible for focusing the parallel beam to the specific location of the workpiece.
Features:
- The collimator needs to maintain a high degree of parallelism and stability of the beam,because its quality directly affects the quality of the final cut.
- Focusing mirrors require a larger aperture to collect more light and focus these light rays to a single point through the principle of curved reflection to achieve the purpose of high-density light beams.
In summary,the collimator is mainly used to ensure that the subsequent optical element can receive and process the parallel beam correctly,while the focusing mirror is specifically used to focus the parallel beam into a point of high intensity. Although the two functions are different, they both play an indispensable role in the optical system of modern technology.
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