9002.90.20.00 - Prisms 🖩

This HTS category, 9002.90.20.00, specifically classifies prisms. Prisms, in this context, refer to optical elements that refract light, typically used to deviate a beam of light, split it into its constituent spectral colors, or change its direction. These are distinct from lenses which focus or diverge light, and mirrors which reflect light. The key characteristic is their function in manipulating light through refraction, often with precisely shaped surfaces.

Distinguishing this category from its sibling, 9002.90.40.00, is crucial. While both fall under the broader heading of optical elements, 9002.90.40.00 covers mirrors, which operate by reflection. This category, however, is exclusively for prisms and their specific light-bending properties. The material of the prism can vary, including glass, crystal, or certain plastics, provided they are optically worked and serve the purpose of light refraction.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories within 9002.90.20.00. Therefore, the classification focuses solely on identifying items that are unequivocally prisms, mounted or unmounted, intended for use as parts of or fittings for instruments or apparatus. The practical classification will rely on the physical shape, optical properties, and intended application of the item, ensuring it performs the function of a prism and is not an unworked optical element or another type of optical component.