Overview
EN ISO 14880-1:2019 - Optics and photonics: Microlens arrays (Part 1: Vocabulary) defines agreed terms, symbols and units for microlens arrays and systems of microlens arrays. This third-edition vocabulary standard covers very small lenses formed on or inside a common substrate and aims to improve compatibility, interchangeability and communication across suppliers, designers and users in the microlens array supply chain. It has been adopted by CEN as EN ISO 14880-1:2019 and supersedes the 2016 edition.
Key topics and technical scope
The standard focuses on precise terminology and measurable properties rather than prescriptive test methods. Important technical topics include:
- Core definitions: microlens, microlens array, regular/irregular arrays and system of microlens arrays.
- Symbols and units: standardized symbols (e.g., NA, fE,f, fE,b, R c, λ) and units used throughout the series.
- Coordinate system: Cartesian description for lens position, aperture centers and focal spot coordinates.
- Geometrical properties: aperture shapes (circular, hexagonal, rectangular), lens pitch, lens radius, substrate dimensions and surface modulation depth.
- Optical properties: effective front/back focal length, geometric and diffraction-limited numerical apertures, radius of curvature, refractive index, wavefront aberration (Φ rms), chromatic aberration and effective Abbe-number.
- Individual lens properties: focal spot size and position shifts, acceptance angle and related metrics.
- Informative annexes: application examples (telecommunications, image sensor arrays, LCD projection, wavefront sensors, stereo displays, 3D/light-field cameras).
Practical applications and who uses this standard
EN ISO 14880-1:2019 is essential for:
- Optical designers and engineers standardizing drawings, specifications and simulation inputs for microlens elements.
- Manufacturers and suppliers who need consistent terminology for product datasheets, quality control and interchangeability.
- Test laboratories and metrology specialists defining measurement reports and interpreting focal, aberration and geometric data.
- Systems integrators and product managers in digital cameras, displays, sensors, wavefront sensors and light-field imaging systems.
- Researchers and educators working in microoptics, optoelectronics and photonics.
Benefits include clearer procurement specifications, reduced ambiguity in contract and technical documentation, and improved cross-vendor compatibility of microlens-array components.
Related standards
- Other parts of the ISO 14880 series (see ISO catalogue) for measurement methods and system-level specifications.
- Developed by ISO/TC 172 (Optics and photonics) and aligned with CEN adoption practices (EN ISO 14880-1:2019).
