IP Library Granted Patent US 12693504
Granted Patent B2
US 12693504 · App. 18/571,383 · Granted Jul 28, 2026

Infrared imaging lens

Inventors: Yoshimasa Matsushita (Otsu, JP); Fumio Sato (Otsu, JP); Nobuo Hori (Higashimatsuyama, JP)
Assignee: Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd.
G02B13/14G02B13/008G02B13/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12693504
App. No.
18/571,383
Granted
Jul 28, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Provided is a telephoto lens which is excellent in resolution. An infrared imaging lens ( 1 ) includes a first lens (L 1 ), a second lens (L 2 ), and a third lens (L 3 ) each of which is made of chalcogenide glass having a refractive index of 2.5 to 4.0 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm, the infrared imaging lens ( 1 ) having a total system focal length not less than two times larger than a diameter of an image circle of the infrared imaging lens ( 1 ).

Claims (23)

1 . An infrared imaging lens used in an infrared region including at least a wavelength in a range of 7 μm to 14 μm, the infrared imaging lens comprising a first lens, a second lens, and a third lens that are disposed in this order from an object side to an image plane side, each of the first lens, the second lens, and the third lens being made of chalcogenide glass having a refractive index of 2.5 to 4.0 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm, the infrared imaging lens having a total system focal length fL in a range of three times to six times larger than a diameter of an image circle of the infrared imaging lens,

wherein an absolute value of the total system focal length fL is within a range of 15 mm to 30 mm, and

wherein a focal length f1 of the first lens and the total system focal length fL of the infrared imaging lens satisfy the following relational expression: 1.6≤f1/fL≤2.5.

2 . An infrared imaging lens used in an infrared region including at least a wavelength in a range of 7 μm to 14 μm, the infrared imaging lens comprising a first lens, a second lens, and a third lens that are disposed in this order from an object side to an image plane side, each of the first lens, the second lens, and the third lens being made of chalcogenide glass having a refractive index of 2.5 to 4.0 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm, the infrared imaging lens having a half angle of view of not more than 14°,

wherein an absolute value of a total system focal length fL is within a range of 15 mm to 30 mm,

wherein an effective diameter of an object-side surface of the first lens is larger than an effective diameter of an image plane-side surface of the second lens, and

wherein a focal length f1 of the first lens and the total system focal length fL of the infrared imaging lens satisfy the following relational expression: 1.6≤f1/fL≤2.5.

3 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first lens, the second lens, and the third lens is a meniscus lens having a positive power.

4 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 3 , wherein:

each of the first lens and the third lens has a meniscus shape that is convex on the object side; and

the second lens has a meniscus shape that is convex on the image plane side.

5 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein an effective diameter of an image plane-side surface of the first lens corresponds to an aperture of the infrared imaging lens.

6 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein the first lens is an aspherical lens.

7 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein either one of surfaces of the second lens or the third lens is a diffractive surface.

8 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein the total system focal length fL of the infrared imaging lens and a total track length TTL which is a distance on an optical axis from an object-side surface of the first lens to an image plane satisfy the following relational expression:

1.2 ≤TTL/fL≤ 2.0.

9 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein a back focal length BFL and the total system focal length fL which is a distance on an optical axis from an object-side surface of the first lens to an image plane satisfy the following relational expression:

0.2 ≤BFL/fL.

10 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , the infrared imaging lens having a relative illuminance of not less than 98% on an image plane in an image circle of the infrared imaging lens.

11 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein a modulation transfer function of the infrared imaging lens in a wavelength range of 7 μm to 14 μm at a spatial frequency of 41.7 cycles/mm is not less than 0.3 at an image height of 2.5 mm.

12 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 2 , the infrared imaging lens having the total system focal length fL three times to six times larger than a diameter of an image circle of the infrared imaging lens.

13 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , the infrared imaging lens having an f-number of 0.9 to 1.1.

14 . The infrared imaging lens according to claim 1 , wherein the chalcogenide glass has a refractive index of 2.9 to 3.7 measured at a wavelength of 10 μm.