Why do some people refer to lense material as "substrate"

[AustinEyewear]

To me, substrate is an electronics term, used in the integrated circuits world. Substrate a base where circuits are "grown". Is it accurate to refer to the lens material as substrate? (I don't want anything growing on my lenses )

Seems like polymer would be a more accurate term? Or maybe Monomer?

[DanLiv]

The word we should be using but aren't is "substratum" which means an underlying layer. It generically refers to the base lens regardless of material. Substrate is just incorrect usage of the word, but its easier to say and has kind of become the default term, though incorrect.

[Chris Ryser]

sub·strate/ˈsəbˌstrāt/

Noun:

A substance or layer that underlies something, or on which some process occurs, in particular. The surface or material on or from which an organism lives, grows, or obtains its nourishment.

[HarryC]

The bottom of salt water fish tanks is called the substrate. That's what I immediately think of when I hear that word.

[Robert_S]

It's only referred to as substrate with regards to coating application, in which case the term is correct as the substrate in any chemical reaction is the material that is reacted upon.

[MikeAurelius]

From my somewhat shaky memory, substrate comes from the precision optics arena, where the glass material is often coated, hence the glass becomes the substrate for the coating.

[Chris Ryser]

Substrate may mean:

• Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached
• Substrate (marine biology), the earthy material that exists in the bottom of a marine habitat, like dirt, rocks, sand, or gravel
• The stratum that is covered by another geologic stratum
• Substrate (biochemistry), a molecule an enzyme has an effect on
• Substrate (chemistry), the catalytic material upon which chemical species react

Substrate may also mean:

• Wafer (electronics), material upon which semiconductor devices are fabricated
• Printed circuit board (electronics), or the electrically insulating portion of a PCB structure
• Substratum, in linguistics, a language that influences but is supplanted by a second language
• Neural substrate, in neuroscience, the set of brain structures that underlies a specific behavior or psychological state
• Substrate (printing), the base material that images will be printed onto
• Substrate (aquarium), the material used in the bottom of an aquarium

• 
  source: --------------------------> http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Substrate

[AustinEyewear]

From my somewhat shaky memory, substrate comes from the precision optics arena, where the glass material is often coated, hence the glass becomes the substrate for the coating.

That is the only think I could think of for why someone would call it substrate. But it seems so far off base to what we are really trying to convey, and has so many more accurate uses in other scientific fields that it just seems wrong to use when referring to the monomer that these coatings are applied. The only other reason I could think of to justify its usage is glass, which is not a monomer. Seems more accurate to just simply call it the lens, that is,...... unless lens = monomer + coatings

[RT]

There are many stages in the manufacturing life of a lens. "Polymer" or "Monomer" really refer to the lens while it is in its raw chemical stage. Once the lens has been cast or molded, it is more accurately called a substrate. From there, the lens blank may go on for further processing (i.e. adding a photochromic treatment, hard coat, AR coat, etc.). Especially when talking about a further step that transforms the lens (i.e. it was a clear lens, now it is a photochromic lens), it is necessary to distinguish between the lens blank pre- and post- transformation. Thus, we send "substrates" to the photochromic manfuacturer, who sends back "finished goods".

From a lens manufacturing standpoint, the term "substrate" is both accurate and descriptive.

[AustinEyewear]

There are many stages in the manufacturing life of a lens. "Polymer" or "Monomer" really refer to the lens while it is in its raw chemical stage. Once the lens has been cast or molded, it is more accurately called a substrate. From there, the lens blank may go on for further processing (i.e. adding a photochromic treatment, hard coat, AR coat, etc.). Especially when talking about a further step that transforms the lens (i.e. it was a clear lens, now it is a photochromic lens), it is necessary to distinguish between the lens blank pre- and post- transformation. Thus, we send "substrates" to the photochromic manfuacturer, who sends back "finished goods".

From a lens manufacturing standpoint, the term "substrate" is both accurate and descriptive.

Thanks for your answer RT. So this begs the question, if no treatment is applied to the lens, is it still accurate to refer to the lens as substrate?

[MikeAurelius]

We also call the base lens a "substrate" when we laminate two disseparate materials together.

[AngeHamm]

It's only referred to as substrate with regards to coating application, in which case the term is correct as the substrate in any chemical reaction is the material that is reacted upon.

Bingo.

[AustinEyewear]

Ok - So it sounds like when we are referring to a lens treatment, such as A/R, then we can refer to the lens as the substrate. But if we are referring to the entire composition that makes the entire optical mechanism, (e.g. A/R + Substrate ) we should refer to it as the lens, when referring the entire optical mechanism context, referring to it as the substrate would not be accurate?

[Darryl Meister]

when referring the entire optical mechanism context, referring to it as the substrate would not be accurate?

Correct. As Rick (RT) noted above, the term substrate refers to the "bare" lens blank, prior to the application of any coatings or treatments, or when specifically referring to the properties of the underlying lens blank after the application of any coatings or treatments.

Best regards,
Darryl

[chip anderson]

Why do some people refer to a lens as a lense?

[MikeAurelius]

And the "substrate" can sometimes also be referred to as a "carrier", just to mix it up a bit.

[AustinEyewear]

Why do some people refer to a lens as a lense?

Chip, didn't your mother teach you that if you don't have anything nice to say to not say ......

http://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/lens

Definition of LENS

1: a curved piece of glass or plastic used singly or combined in eyeglasses or an optical instrument (as a microscope) for forming an image by focusing rays of light


2: a device for directing or focusing radiation other than light (as sound waves, radio microwaves, or electrons)


3: a highly transparent biconvex lens-shaped or nearly spherical body in the eye that focuses light rays entering the eye typically onto the retina, lies immediately behind the pupil, is made up of slender curved rod-shaped ectodermal cells in concentric lamellae surrounded by a tenuous mesoblastic capsule, and alters its focal length by becoming more or less spherical in response to the action of the ciliary muscle on a peripheral suspensory ligament

[AustinEyewear]

And the "substrate" can sometimes also be referred to as a "carrier", just to mix it up a bit.

Oh, now that is really confusing! I'll start with substrate first

[Chris Ryser]

Why do some people refer to a lens as a lense?

...............................because it could also be a lentille, or a linse