PRECISELY ALIGNED LENS STRUCTURE AND A METHOD FOR ITS FABRICATION

摘要

A lens structure includes a nonplastic first lens having a first-lens central optical region lying in the light path, and a first-lens rim between the first-lens central optical region and a first-lens periphery of the first lens. The first-lens rim includes a first-lens mating surface. A nonplastic second lens has a second-lens central optical region lying in the light path, and a second-lens rim between the second-lens central optical region and a second-lens periphery of the second lens. The second-lens rim includes a second-lens first mating surface conformable to the first-lens mating surface and in a facing and contacting relation to the first-lens mating surface. The first lens and the second lens are aligned to within a first-lens/second-lens tolerance of not greater than about 0.00005 inch. The first-lens first mating structure and the second-lens first mating surface may be diamond-point machined to the high tolerances, and then assembled.