Low Order Waveplates | Cemented & Optically Contacted Zero-Order Waveplates | Cemented True Zero Order Waveplates | Single Plate Zero Order Waveplates | Quarter Waveplates | Half Waveplates

Waveplate Comparison Table

Birefringence of crystals can modify the Polarization State of light which is very useful in many applications. This type of optical components are called birefringent wave plates or retardation plates (or just wave plates or retarders for short). 

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(n_e-n_o)/l(a-phase difference; d-thickness of waveplate; n_e, n_o-refractive indices of extraordinary and ordinary rays respectively; l-wavelength). At any specific wavelength the phase difference is governed by the thickness of the waveplate.  

Red Optronics provides the following waveplates: octadic-wave (l/8), quarter-wave (l/4), half-wave (l/2) and full-wave (l) plates.
Low Order Wave Plate | Zero-Order Wave Plate | True Zero Order Wave Plate | Quarter Wave Plate | Half Wave Plate
Half Wave Plate 
The half wave plate can be used to rotate the polarization state of a plane polarized light as shown in Figure 1.

Suppose a plane-polarized wave is normally incident on a wave plate, and the plane of polarization is at an angle q with respect to the fast axis, as shown. After passing through the plate, the original plane wave has been rotated through an angle 2q.  A half-wave plate is very handy in rotating the plane of polarization from a polarized laser to any other desired plane (especially if the laser is too large to rotate).  Most large ion lasers are vertically polarized.  To obtain horizontal polarization, simply place a half-wave plate in the beam with its fast (or slow) axis 45° to the vertical.  The l/2 plates can also change left circularly polarized light into right circularly polarized light or vice versa.  The thickness of half waveplate is such that the phase difference is 1/2 wavelength (l/2, Zero order) or certain multiple of 1/2-wavelength [(2n+1)l/2, multiple order].

Quarter Wave Plate

Quarter wave plate are used to turn plane-polarized light into circularly polarized light and vice versa. To do this, we must orient the wave plate so that equal amounts of fast and slow waves are excited. We may do this by orienting an incident plane-polarized wave at 45° to the fast (or slow) axis, as shown in Figure 2. When a l/4 plate is double passed, i.e., by mirror reflection, it acts as a l/2 plate and rotates the plane of polarization to a certain angle, i.e., 90°.   This scheme is widely used in isolators, Q-switches, etc.

The thickness of the quarter waveplate is such that the phase difference is 1/4 wavelength (l/4, Zero order) or certain multiple of 1/4-wavelength [(2n+1)l/4, multiple order].

Red Optronics provides standard waveplate with  wavelengths (nm) per following:

355

532

632.8

808

850

980

1064

1310

1480

1550

1590

Note: special wavelengths within the ranger of 200-2300nm are also available upon request.

Standard Specifications:

Material:	Crystal Quartz
Dimension:	+0.0, -0.2mm
Wavefront distortion:	<l/8@632.8
Retardation tolerance:	<l/500
Wavelength range:	240-2100 nm
Parallelism:	<1 arc second
Surface quality:	20/10 scratches and dig
Clear aperture:	>80%
AR coating:	R<0.2% at central wavelength
Standard Wave:	quarter-wave (l/4), half-wave (l/2)

Low Order Waveplate

Thickness: 0.2-0.4 mm High Damage Threshold Better Temperature Bandwidth Wide Wavelength Bandwidth Low Cost

 

f(mm)	Uncoated	AR/AR coated
	Part No.	Part No.
10.0	WPL110	WPL210
12.7	WPL112	WPL212
15.0	WPL115	WPL215
20.0	WPL120	WPL220

Cemented & Optically Contacted Zero-Order Waveplate

AR Coated High Damage Threshold Better Temperature Bandwidth Wide Wavelength Bandwidth Double Plates

 

f(mm)	Uncoated	AR/AR coated
	Part No.	Part No.
10.0	WPC210	WPO210
12.7	WPC212	WPO212
15.0	WPC215	WPO215
20.0	WPC220	WPO220

Cemented True Zero-Order Waveplate

Cemented by Epoxy Wide Angle Acceptance Better Temperature Bandwidth Wide Wavelength Bandwidth Double Plates

 

f(mm)	Uncoated	AR/AR coated
	Part No.	Part No.
10.0	WPF110	WPF210
12.7	WPF112	WPF212
15.0	WPF115	WPF215
20.0	WPF120	WPF220

Single Plate True Zero-Order Waveplate

Single Plate Wide Angle Acceptance Better Temperature Bandwidth Wide Wavelength Bandwidth High Damage Threshold Standard Wavelength: 1480, 1310, 1550, 1590 nm

 

f(mm)	Uncoated	AR/AR coated
	Part No.	Part No.
10.0	WPS110	WPS210
12.7	WPS112	WPS212
15.0	WPS115	WPS215
20.0	WPS120	WPS220

Ordering information for standard products

Part No, - wavelength - Retardation
For Example, WPS110 - 1550 - l/2

Ordering Information for None Standard Products