How do I properly clean the mirror surfaces of the TECHSPEC Monolithic Reflective Beam Expanders (Mark I)?

To clean the mirror surfaces, use compressed air to blow dirt and dust off the surface of the mirrors. To remove fingerprints or other contaminants, the “Drag Method” should be used. In the Drag Method, a lens tissue is saturated with reagent-grade isopropyl alcohol or reagent-grade acetone and is slowly dragged across the surface. If done correctly, the solvent will evaporate uniformly without leaving streaks or spots. If your laser beam expander features a bare metal coating, the Drag Method should be avoided as it can damage the delicate bare metal coating surface. Dirt and dust can easily be blown off with compressed air. However, fingerprints will permanently damage a bare metal coating and preventative measures should be taken to prolong the lifetime of the coating. Review our application note on cleaning optics for more information.