Waveplate
Meadowlark Optics
Retarders are used in applications where control or analysis of polarization states is required. Our retarder products include innovative polymer and liquid crystal materials as well as commonly used quartz. Other crystalline materials such as magnesium fluoride are also available upon request. Please call for a custom quote.
A retarder (or waveplate) is an optical device that resolves a light wave into two orthogonal linear polarization components and produces a phase shift between them. The resulting light wave is generally of a different polarization form. Ideally, retarders do not polarize, nor do they induce an intensity change in the light beam, they simply change its polarization form.
