Athermalization

Athermalization, in optics, is the process of achieving optothermal stability and ensuring that optical properties do not change with variations in temperature. Athermalization, in optics, is the process of achieving optothermal stability and ensuring that optical properties do not change with variations in temperature. Ideally, athermalization can be achieved by making the optics and metering structure out of the same material. This is very difficult in practice, as materials that are ideal for use in optics are often brittle or expensive, and are thus not always ideal for use in a metering structure. For this reason, athermalization is often achieved by using switchbacks or in-depth knowledge of the thermal elastic effects that are present in the particular system.