Wideband optical transmission properties of seven thermoplastics.

Transmission measurements were made on samples of acrylic, polystyrene, styrene-acrylic copolymer (N.A.S.), polymethyl pentene (TPX), polysulfone, polycarbonate, and Trogamid; molded windows of 5.08-mm thickness were measured over the range 0.4-40.0 microm. All these injection-moldable materials appear to be usable in the visible region, and have surprisingly similar transmission profiles from 1.0 microm to 2.0 microm. Polystyrene and TPX possess several potentially useful transmission windows in the middle-wavelength and long-wavelength infrared regions, particularly TPX. The potential of these materials as substitutes for expensive crystalline materials in infrared application is discussed. The possibility that other thermoplastic materials may offer similar opportunities is also presented.