Waveplate
Moonlight Optics China

Waveplates are necessary elements for variable beam attenuators, beamsplitters, and optical isolators. Waveplates (retardation plates or phase shifters) are made from materials that exhibit birefringence. The velocities of the extraordinary and ordinary rays through the birefringent materials vary inversely with their refractive indices. The difference in velocities gives rise to a phase difference when the two beams recombine. In the case of an incident linearly polarized beam this is given by a=2pd(ne-no)/l(a-phase difference; d-thickness of waveplate; ne, no-refractive indices of extraordinary and ordinary rays respectively; l-wavelength). At any specific wavelength the phase difference is governed by the thickness of the retarder. \'

Specifications

Materials: Single crystal quartz
Optical Axis: Normal to flat edge on circumference of Retarder
Angle of Incidence: 0
Retardation Tolerance: l/300
Diameter Tolerance: =0/-0.1mm
Wavefront distortion: l/10 over central 90% of aperture at 632.8 nm
Parallelism: 1 arc second
Surface Quality: Ultrafine laser polish, 20-10 scratch and dig
Coating: antireflection coating on all air-quartz interfaces
Coating Clear Aperture: Central 90% of diameter