Choose the UV Filter for Your Optical System
UV filter selection starts with a simple question: should ultraviolet energy be blocked, or should a selected UV region be transmitted while visible or infrared wavelengths are rejected?
UV Blocking Glass
UV blocking glass is used where unwanted ultraviolet radiation must be removed while maintaining high visible-light transmission.
Typical uses include machine vision, architectural lighting, museum displays, outdoor LCD displays, medical instruments, imaging systems and industrial equipment.
- Average UV blocking: >99% below 400 nm
- Average visible transmission: >85%
- Average color rendering index: 95%
- Durable glass construction
- Borofloat® option available where additional heat resistance is required
390LP UV Absorbing Protective Window
The 390LP series is a protective optical window designed to block UV radiation while maintaining high transmission through the visible spectrum.
It is suited to applications where a lens or optical system requires UV protection without strongly reducing useful visible light.
- Cut-on wavelength: 50% T @ 390 nm
- Wavelength tolerance: ±10 nm
- Peak transmission: ≥90%
- Surface quality: 40/20
415LP UV Blocking Anti-Reflection Window
The 415LP filter reflects the UV spectrum and is designed to block most light produced by 395 nm and shorter-wavelength UV LEDs while transmitting visible and near-infrared wavelengths.
This configuration is also suitable as a protective optical window and for color-imaging systems requiring UV rejection.
- Useful range: 415–1100 nm
- Cut-on wavelength: 50% T @ 415 nm
- Wavelength tolerance: ±10 nm
- Peak transmission: ≥95%
- Borofloat® substrate option: up to 500°C
- Drawn fused quartz option for demanding non-imaging applications: up to ≤1000°C
365BP Near-UV Bandpass Filter
The 365BP filter is designed to pass near-UV wavelengths while blocking visible light.
The passband includes 395 nm and other commonly used UV LED wavelengths.
Typical uses include near-UV fluorescence imaging and optical systems requiring visible-light rejection.
- Useful range: 335–400 nm
- Wavelength tolerance: ±10 nm
- Peak transmission: ≥85%
- Surface quality: 40/20
700SP Visible-Pass / IR-Block Shortpass Filter
The 700SP configuration is a visible shortpass filter used where broad visible transmission is required together with infrared rejection.
It is also referred to as a Hot Mirror.
This configuration is used where visible wavelengths must pass while infrared energy is blocked.
- Useful range: 410–690 nm
- 50% cut-on / cut-off: 400 / 700 nm
- Wavelength tolerance: ±10 nm
- Peak transmission: ≥90%
- Surface quality: 40/20
Compare UV Filters by Optical Requirement
| Optical Requirement | Filter Direction | Where It Fits |
|---|---|---|
| Block nearly all UV below 400 nm while maintaining visible transmission | UV Blocking Glass | Displays, museum protection, machine vision, architectural lighting |
| Protect a lens from UV while maintaining high visible transmission | 390LP | Protective optical windows and visible imaging |
| Reject UV LED wavelengths around 395 nm and below | 415LP | Color imaging and UV-protected optical windows |
| Pass near-UV while blocking visible light | 365BP | UV fluorescence and reflective UV imaging |
| Pass broad visible wavelengths while blocking IR | 700SP | Visible imaging and optical systems requiring IR rejection |
The final filter should be selected according to the required pass wavelength, blocked wavelength range, transmission target, substrate, temperature and surface-quality requirement.
Unsure Which UV Filter to Choose?
Start by defining which wavelengths must pass and which wavelengths must be blocked.
For filter review, provide:
- Required UV or visible transmission range
- Wavelengths that must be blocked
- Minimum transmission requirement
- Optical application
- Operating temperature
- Part dimensions
- Substrate preference, if specified
Standard and custom coating configurations can then be reviewed against the required optical response.
Contact UsFrom UV Requirement to Finished Optical Filter
UV control can be integrated into standard glass windows, large sheets or custom optical components according to the required spectral and mechanical configuration.
- Standard & Custom UV Coatings — Standard and custom coating designs are available for blocking, reflecting or transmitting selected UV wavelength regions.
- Large-Format UV Filtering Glass — UV-control glass can be produced in sheet sizes up to 48 × 68 in, supporting large protective windows, displays and architectural applications.
- Custom Optical Components — Custom optical sizes and geometries are available, including concave lenses and other application-specific optical components.
- Custom Substrates, Thicknesses & Sizes — Substrate material, glass thickness and finished dimensions can be configured around the optical system and required UV response.
Frequently Asked Questions
UV blocking filters reject unwanted ultraviolet radiation while transmitting the required visible or other useful wavelengths.
UV passing filters do the opposite: they transmit all or part of the UV spectrum while blocking visible light or other unwanted wavelength regions.
Large-format UV filtering glass is available in sheet sizes up to approximately 48 × 68 in.
Yes. The 415LP configuration can use Borofloat® for temperatures up to approximately 500°C. For demanding non-imaging applications, a drawn fused-quartz version is listed for temperatures up to 1000°C.
The 390LP, 365BP and 700SP configurations are specified with 40/20 surface quality on the source page.
Yes. Standard and custom UV coatings are available together with custom substrates, thicknesses, sizes and optical geometries.
Request a Custom UV Filter
Whether the application requires UV protection, UV fluorescence imaging, visible transmission, UV LED rejection or visible-pass / IR-block filtering, the optical configuration can be selected around the required transmitted and blocked wavelength regions.
Send the spectral requirement, part size, substrate and operating conditions for review.