Total Internal Reflection (TIR) Lenses

Total Internal Reflection (TIR) polymer lenses combine refractive and reflective principles to direct light efficiently and uniformly - maximizing brightness while minimizing loss. At G&H | GS Optics, mold custom polymer TIR lenses that achieve exceptional optical performance, compact geometry, and consistency in high-volume production.

Applications

• LED and laser illumination systems – spot, flood, or uniform backlighting
• Medical diagnostics – controlled illumination for imaging instruments
• Defense and aerospace – lightweight, ruggedized optics for portable systems
• Machine vision and automation – precise, high-intensity illumination control
• AR/VR and projection – compact high-efficiency light management

Manufacturing Capabilities

• TIR lens diameters up to 150 mm
• Single or multi-surface hybrid designs
• Molded-in reflective geometries (no secondary coating required)
• In-house AR coatings for refractive surfaces and HR coatings for hybrid mirrors
• ISO Class 7 cleanroom for optical assembly

Advantages of Polymer TIR Lenses

• High optical efficiency: Combines refractive and reflective control to minimize stray light and absorption losses.
• Compact optical design: Eliminates the need for multiple lenses or mirrors.
• Lightweight and durable: Ideal for handheld or field-deployed illumination systems.
• Repeatable precision: Injection molding ensures consistent optical geometry at scale.
• Cost-effective scalability: Multi-cavity tooling supports mass production with minimal

Why G&H | GS Optics

• Expertise in refractive and reflective hybrid polymer optics
• Fully integrated tooling, molding, coating, and assembly
• ISO-certified, DDTC-registered U.S. facility
• End-to-end DFM and process validation for optical injection molding
• Advanced optical metrology and inspection facilities
• Over 100 years of polymer manufacturing innovation

Engineering Expertise

Based on decades of expertise, G&H | GS Optics engineers provide our customers with DFM recommendations to ensure that their polymer optics programs are successful. Using mold flow simulations, we can model how resin will fill the mold during the injection molding process to better position gates, anticipate where knit lines will appear, and locate difficult to fill spots in the mold. G&H | GS Optics specializes in scientific injection molding which is a systematic, data-driven methodology to produce world class polymer optics.

Prototypes are diamond-turned using Precitech Nanoform 200 and Nanoform X systems, achieving nanometric surface finish without post-polishing. The same tooling precision transfers directly into injection molds for scalable production.

Quality Assurance and Process Validation

All polymer optics produced by G&H | GS Optics are subject to rigorous quality standards to ensure consistent, reliable performance. Each lens is measured using a variety of metrology equipment to verify dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and refractive characteristics.

To reduce risk after transferring from development to production, GS Optics can conduct a process validation through a combination of installation (IQ), operational (OQ), and performance (PQ) qualifications, ensuring process repeatability and consistent optical performance.

Material Selection

We use optical-grade polymers optimized for clarity, refractive index stability, and environmental performance: