Optical Waveplates & Retarders
Precision waveplates (retarders) for polarization control: half-wave, quarter-wave and arbitrary retardance in zero-order, multi-order and achromatic designs. Crystalline quartz and MgF2 for UV to NIR wavelength ranges.
Key Specifications
Material Options
Select the optimal optical material based on your wavelength, power, thermal environment and mechanical requirements.
- Crystalline Quartz (0-degree) — Standard waveplate material for visible-NIR. Excellent optical quality and availability.
- Crystalline Quartz (5-degree Y-cut) — For UV applications. Reduced chromatic dispersion compared to 0-degree cut.
- MgF2 — Birefringent crystal for deep UV waveplates. Transmits down to 115nm. Lower birefringence than quartz.
Coating Options
Coatings are engineered around your specific wavelength and operating conditions.
- BBAR VIS-NIR — R < 0.5% across 400-1000nm. Standard for multi-wavelength visible-NIR systems.
- AR @ 532nm — R < 0.1% per surface. For green laser polarization control.
- AR @ 1064nm — R < 0.1% per surface. For Nd:YAG laser systems.
- UV AR (< 400nm) — R < 0.5% for UV laser and spectroscopy systems.
Manufacturing Tolerances
We optimize specifications to match your system requirements — not over-specify. Tighter tolerances increase cost without always improving system performance. Typical manufacturing capabilities:
- Surface quality: from 60-40 to 10-5 scratch-dig
- Surface flatness: from λ/4 to λ/20 per inch
- Dimensional tolerance: ±0.01mm to ±0.05mm
- Centration: <3 arc min standard, <30 arc sec precision
Inspection & Quality
Every component undergoes 100% inspection before shipment with full documentation including interferometer reports, spectral curves, surface quality images and dimensional data.
- Laser interferometry: λ/100 resolution
- Spectrophotometry: 190nm – 25μm
- Surface inspection: MIL-PRF-13830B compliant
- Dimensional metrology: ±0.01mm accuracy
Applications
- Laser polarization rotation (half-wave plates)
- Circular polarization generation (quarter-wave plates)
- Optical isolation and Faraday rotator components
- Ellipsometry and polarization measurement
- Liquid crystal display alignment and testing
- Quantum optics polarization state preparation
- Fluorescence polarization microscopy
- Telecom polarization controllers
Engineering Considerations
Zero-order vs multi-order: Zero-order waveplates (single plate or compound) have retardance accuracy that is largely independent of wavelength changes. Multi-order waveplates are less expensive but highly wavelength-sensitive — a 1nm wavelength shift can change retardance significantly. Use zero-order for precision applications.
Achromatic waveplates: For broadband or tunable wavelength systems, achromatic waveplates (compound quartz+MgF2) maintain near-constant retardance across a wide wavelength range. Essential for Ti:Sapphire, OPO and supercontinuum systems.
Temperature sensitivity: Quartz waveplate retardance changes with temperature (~0.01 waves/degree C for zero-order). For systems with large temperature swings, specify temperature-compensated designs or allow for retarding adjustment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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