Waveplate

Waveplate

Crystalline quartz is frequently used for the most stringest quality retardation applications, Zero-order waveplate is made by cementing together two quartz plates with their fast axes orthogonal to each other. The difference in thickness is equal to either λ/4 or λ/2 for a specified wavelength. Compared with multiple-order quartz retarders, they are much more insensitive to the variation of retardation with wavelength, temperature and angle of incidence. Waveplates of other wavelength and sizes are custom made.
 

Half Waveplate
 

 

When applying a linearly polarized beam to a half waveplate, it emerges as a linearly polarized beam but its polarization plane is rotated with respect to the polarization plane of the input beam. The rotation of the polarization plane is such that the angle between the input polarization and the output polarization is twice the angle between the input polarization and the waveplate's axis. When applying a circularly polarized beam, a clockwise circular polarization will transform into a counter-clockwise circular polarization and vice versa.
 

Quarter Waveplate
 

 

When applying a linearly polarized beam with the polarization plane aligned at 45deg to the waveplate's principal plane, the output beam will be circularly polarized. Similarly when applying a circularly polarized beam to a ¦Ë/4 waveplate the output beam will be linearly polarized. When a quarter waveplate is double passed, i.e. by mirror reflection, it acts as a half waveplate and rotates the plane of polarization to a certain angle. Quarter waveplates are widely used in creating circular polarization from linear or linear polarization from circular, ellipsometry, optical pumping, suppressing unwanted reflection, optical isolation and etc.
 

Types of Waveplate
 

Type

 

Feature

Zero Order

Cemented
  • Cemented by glue
  • Better Temperature Bandwidth
  • Wide Wavelength Bandwidth
  • Moderate damage threshold

Optical Contacted
  • No glue
  • Better Temperature Bandwidth
  • Wide Wavelength Bandwidth
  • Better damage threshold

Air Spaced
  • No glue, Mounted
  • Better Temperature Bandwidth
  • Wide Wavelength Bandwidth
  • High damage threshold

True Zero Order

Cemented
  • Cemented by glue
  • Better Temperature Bandwidth
  • Wide Wavelength Bandwidth
  • Moderate damage threshold

Single Plate
  • Single plate
  • Better Temperature Bandwidth
  • Wide Wavelength Bandwidth
  • High damage threshold
  • Only 1310nm, 1550nm available

Multi Order
  • Low Temperature Bandwidth
  • Low Wavelength Bandwidth
  • High damage threshold
  • Low cost

 Specifications

Material:

Crystal Quartz

Dimension allowance:

+0.0, -0.15mm

Phase contrast Retardation :

λ/8,λ/4,λ/2, or discretional

Wavefront distortion:

≤λ/4@632.8nm barring Cemented Waveplate

Retardation tolerance:

≤λ/300、≤λ/500

Wavelength range:

260-1600 nm

Parallelism:

≤1 arc second

Surface quality:

20/10 scratches and dig

Clear aperture:

≥90%

AR coating:

R≤0.25% at central wavelength
Comparison of Waveplates

Order of Waveplate

Multi

Low

Cemented Zero

Cemented Broad-band Zero

Total Thickness (mm)

~1

≤0.5

1.5~2

1.5~3

Spectral Bandwidth (nm)

0.5

1.5

30

110
Standard Products of Multi Order Half-Waveplates
 

Item No.

Dia.(mm)

Wavelength

OD

Thickness

Price(USD)

HWPZ-445-12

12.7mm

445nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-457-12

12.7mm

457nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-473-12

12.7mm

473nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-532-12

12.7mm

532nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-589-12

12.7mm

589nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-638-12

12.7mm

638nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-671-12

12.7mm

671nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-914-12

12.7mm

914nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-946-12

12.7mm

946nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-1064-12

12.7mm

1064nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-1122-12

12.7mm

1122nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00

HWPZ-1342-12

12.7mm

1342nm

1.0"

0.7mm

30.00
Keep in touch with us

Contact us sales@eforcelaser.com.au