Only through the extreme we reach clarity
Friedrich Schiller 1759-1805
Astronomical optics from Jena
APQ JENA is reviving Jena's tradition of astronomical optics and instrument engineering after a 25-year interruption.
This work builds on the expertise of scientists, designers, engineers and specialists, together with more than a century of astronomical instrument-making tradition in Jena.
Manufacturing takes place in Jena – Made in Germany. Small-series production also allows one-off and custom builds tailored to individual customer requirements.
APQ Fluorite Polychromats
The focus of our development and manufacturing program is on newly developed Fluorite Universal Polychromats and Fluorite Wide Field Polychromats, which provide substantially broader chromatic correction than conventional doublet and triplet apochromats.
The defining feature of both optical designs is their polychromatic correction, providing diffraction-limited image quality across the spectral range from 365 nm (UV) to 1014 nm (IR). Both visual observers and, in particular, astrophotographers benefit from this.
With these systems, APQ JENA is introducing the Polychromat concept to a broad astronomical user community.
Use in science and industry
New applications are opening up in industrial research, science, optronics and environmental technology.
Benefits for visual observation
Unlike most apochromats, the Strehl ratio does not fall toward or below the diffraction limit at the edges of the visual spectrum.
The Polychromats produce bright, brilliant images with very low chromatic aberration, astigmatism, coma, spherical aberration and spherochromatism; their performance approaches the theoretical resolving power.
Advantages for astrophotography
The APQ Fluorite Quadruplet Polychromats are designed to exploit the full UBVRI spectral range of modern CCD and CMOS sensors.
With the polychromatic Field Correctors and Focal Reducer Correctors – each specifically designed for its Quadruplet Polychromat and incorporating CaF₂ elements – diffraction-limited correction is maintained.
The newly developed APQ Wide Field Polychromats incorporate a dedicated focal reducer corrector and offer focal ratios from f/4 to f/6.
Their large, flat image fields are corrected to the edge and cannot be achieved with separate flatteners or reducers; they enable, for example, the use of IMX461 and IMX411 CMOS cameras.
By making structures accessible in the UV and IR that are not visible in the conventional visual range, these systems open up additional fields of research and observation.
