Q: What does radiation resistance mean and how do optimized radiation resistant lenses maintain throughput?
A: Radiation resistant, radiation tolerant, radiation hard or non-browning lenses are all terms used to refer to a lens designed for use in a radioactive environment. When exposed to Gamma or X-ray radiation most optical materials will change colour, typically dark brown or grey, resulting in almost total loss of transmission. There are a few optical materials available that are naturally radiation resistant, such as fused silica and quartz. However, there are simply not enough of these materials available to provide the variety required for a good lens. Fortunately, standard optical glass can be stabilized against the transmittance loss caused by ionizing radiation by adding cerium to the composition.
Learn more: www.resolveoptics.com/radiation-resistance-what-does-it-mean/