Black Matte Painted Surface Reduces Reflectivity and Backscatter
High-Density Honeycomb Core Provides Static and Dynamic Rigidity
Custom Sizes Available; Contact Tech Support for Details
UltraLight™ Honeycomb Breadboards offer a high strength-to-weight ratio and an all-aluminum construction. Using aluminum throughout means that the breadboard will have similar coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE), which will minimize thermal instabilities. These breadboards are ideal for optical setups where portability and dynamic rigidity are important. They are typically used as replacements for aluminum, steel, or granite surface plates, as well as for applications demanding a totally nonmagnetic surface.
Choosing an Optical Breadboard When choosing an aluminum optical breadboard, stiffness is a major consideration. For aluminum optical breadboards, Thorlabs offers two levels of stiffness: high and enhanced. Although most people associate deflection under load with thickness, it is actually the stiffness of a board that determines the deflection.
The higher the stiffness, the better the breadboard's ability to resist bending when a load or force is applied to it. Therefore, when a heavy load is placed in the center of a breadboard with high stiffness, the board will deflect more than it would if the same load were placed on an enhanced stiffness breadboard. This deflection can create misalignment between two components on opposite ends of the breadboard. This is especially important, for example, when conducting experiments that require sliding optical setups across the breadboard while maintaining a straight optical axis.
We also offer a broad selection of Nexus® Steel Honeycomb Breadboards, which provide greater stiffness and vibration damping. For a quick comparison of our different breadboard options, please see the BB Selection Guide tab.
Frame and Isolation Options We offer a number of support options for breadboards. Our standard breadboard frames are available with rigid supports, or with passive or self-leveling active vibration isolation. We also offer passive and electronic isolator feet for mounting a breadboard on top of a table.
These masses/weights are approximate and are subject to change. The information is only to be used as a guideline.
Thorlabs UltraLight™ optical breadboards offer high strength-to-weight ratio and excellent thermal stability. These breadboards are ideal for optical setups where portability and dynamic rigidity are important.
The UltraLightTM range incorporates a double-plate, single-honeycomb design, providing excellent stiffness and dynamic rigidity. The top layer consists of a 6 mm aluminum top plate. The second layer adds the main aluminum honeycomb structure and the 3 mm aluminum bottom plate. The main honeycomb core is fabricated from strips of precision-formed plated aluminum, which is bonded together with a high-tensile-strength epoxy adhesive.
Excellent Surface Flatness
Breadboard flatness is critically important during many experimental setups. Lack of local flatness requires readjustment of components for height variations across the breadboard and can cause component “wobble”. Thorlabs breadboards offer unsurpassed flatness due to the high-precision aluminum plates, which are specially handled to maintain superior flatness throughout the manufacturing process. A unique thermal bonding process ensures that stress is not induced during manufacture, thereby retaining the flatness of the top plate.
Athermalized Design
Thorlabs breadboards have matched aluminum for both the top and bottom plates. This unique athermalized design eliminates thermal bowing effects caused by temperature variations.
Posted Comments:
gking
 (posted 2017-05-16 14:59:25.343)
Would it be possible to get a custom 1000x1000mm breadboard?
Would the price be considerably different from say a 900x1200mm?
What would the delivery time be approximately?
bwood
 (posted 2017-05-18 09:40:05.0)
Response from Ben at Thorlabs: Thank you for your feedback. We are able to make a wide array of custom breadboards and tables, and we will be in contact shortly with a quote for this custom breadboard.
user
 (posted 2015-04-09 15:50:12.95)
Is there a special reason why the aluminum honeycomb breadboards are painted instead of anodized? We would prefer anodized breadboards because of the better surface
Is it possible to use the breadboard upside down with the mounting holes to the floor?
We want to rest an interferometer (weight about 60kg) on the side without mounting holes and use the side with mounting holes to fix the breadboard on a translation axis.
msoulby
 (posted 2013-12-11 11:44:37.0)
Response from Mike at Thorlabs: Yes it is entirely possible to use this breadboard upside down. However if nessary we can also provide you with a customised breadboard which will have no holes at all. I have contacted you directly to see if this might be a more suitable option.
bdada
 (posted 2012-03-13 11:57:00.0)
Response from Buki at Thorlabs to makarov:
Thank you for using our feedback forum. Yes, the finish is black paint. It is not anodized. Please contact techsupport@thorlabs.com if you have any questions.
makarov
 (posted 2012-03-12 17:18:04.0)
What is the surface finish? Is it painted black, not anodized?
7.0 mm (0.28") 9.5 mm (0.375") 12.7 mm (0.5") 19.05 mm (0.75")
12.7 mm (0.5")
Working Surface
430 Grade Stainless Steel or 304L Grade Nonmagnetic Steel Top Plate
430 Grade Stainless Steel Top Plate
Aluminum
416 Grade Stainless Steel
Solid Aluminum Anodized or Unanodized
Acrylic
Top Skin
5 mm (0.20")
5 mm (0.20")
6 mm (0.24")
N/A
N/A
N/A
Bottom Skin
5 mm (0.20")
3 mm (0.12")
3 mm (0.12")
N/A
N/A
N/A
Core Design
High-Density Plated Steel Honeycomb, 0.26 mm Thick
High-Density Plated Aluminum Honeycomb
N/A
N/A
N/A
Side Panels
Rigid Steel Box Section
Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride (uPVC)
Black Laminated Aluminum Sides
N/A
N/A
N/A
Ferromagnetism
Magnetic or Non-Magnetic Options
Magnetic
Non-Magnetic
Magnetic
Non-Magnetic
Sealed Holes
Sealed (25 mm Depth) or Non-Sealed Options
Non-Sealed
N/A
N/A
N/A
Thread Options
1/4"-20 (M6) Tapped Holes
1/4"-20 (M6) Tapped Holes
1/4"-20 (M6) Tapped Holes
1/4"-20 (M6), 4-40 (M3), or 8-32 (M3) and 1/4"-20 (M6) Tapped Holes
1/4-20" Tapped Holes
Spacing
1" (25 mm) Centers
1" (25 mm) Centers
1" (25 mm) Centers
1" (25 mm) Centers or 0.5" (12.7 mm) Centers
0.5" (12.7 mm) Centers
Distance from Edge to First Holes
0.5" (12.5 mm) on all Sides
0.5" (12.5 mm) or 1.0" (25 mm) on all Sides
0.5" (12.5 mm) on all Sides
0.5" (12.5 mm) on all Sides
1.0" (25.4 mm) on all Sides
Performancea
Damping
N/A
N/A
N/A
Stiffness
60 mm (2.4") Thick
58 mm (2.28") Thick
25 mm (0.98") Thick
12.7 mm (0.5") Thick
7.0 mm (0.28") Thick
12.7 mm (0.5") Thick
110 mm (4.3") Thick
55 mm (2.2") Thick
19.05 mm (0.75") Thick
The damping and stiffness performance shown here is qualitative and does not relate to exact specifications of each breadboard.
Optical Breadboard Selection Guides
The selection guides below list every size offered for our honeycomb, solid aluminum, and acrylic breadboards. Simply locate the specific width and length needed and then select the type of breadboard. Expand each table by clicking the More [+] button within the header.
Solid aluminum breadboards are offered with four different thicknesses: 0.5" (item # prefix MB), 0.75" (item # prefix MBH), 3/8" (item # prefix MS), or 0.28" (item # prefix MS). Select sizes are also available without an anodized coating (item #s ending with U).
Item Number Suffix:
F, A, B, or G: Non-Sealed Mounting Holes
T, L, U, or N: Sealed Mounting Holes
FN or AN: Nonmagnetic Mounting Holes
Y or Z: No Mounting Holes
S: Stainless Steel
Tapped Hole Pattern Aligned at 45°
Build-to-Order
Includes a T-Slot in Side Panels for Compatibility with 25 mm Rail Accessories
Solid aluminum breadboards are offered with four different thicknesses: 12.7 mm (item # prefix MB), 19.05 mm (item # prefix MBH), 9.5 mm (item # prefix MS), or 7.0 mm (item # prefix MS). Select sizes are also available without an anodized coating (item #s ending with U).
Item Number Suffix:
F, A, B, or G: Non-Sealed Mounting Holes
T, L, U, or N: Sealed Mounting Holes
FN or AN: Nonmagnetic Mounting Holes
Y or Z: No Mounting Holes
S: Stainless Steel
Tapped Hole Pattern Aligned at 45°
Build-to-Order
Includes a T-Slot in Side Panels for Compatibility with 25 mm Rail Accessories