Achromatic waveplate is similar to zero order waveplate except that the
two plates are made from different birefringent crystals. Since the
dispersion of the birefringence of two materials is different, it is
possible to specify the retardation values at a broad wavelength range.
So, the retardation will be less sensitive to wavelength change. In
other words, it can be used at a broadband wavelength range.
★ Epoxy Cemented or Air Spaced available
★ Very Broad Bandwidth
★ Custom size available
★ RoHS Compliant
- Specifications
- Curve
- Selection Guide
- Feedback
| Material | Crystal Quartz+MgF2 |
| Dimension Tolerance | +0.0/-0.2mm |
| Surface Quality | 40/20 scratch and dig |
| Clear Aperture | >90% central area |
| Wavefront Distortion | <λ/4@632.8nm (for air spaced type) |
| Parallelism | <10 arc seconds (for single plate) |
| Retardation Tolerance | <λ/100 |
| Standard Wave | quarter-wave(λ/4), half-wave(λ/2) |
| Standard Wavelength | 450-650nm
550-750nm
650-1100nm
900-2100nm |
| Coating | Both sides AR coated, R<1% per face |
| Damage Threshold | Cemented: >500mJ/cm2, 20ns, 20Hz @1064nm
Air spaced: >5J/cm2, 20ns, 20Hz @1064nm |
Waveplate Comparison
Waveplate Type | Structure | With Glue | Temperature Bandwidth | Wavelength Bandwidth | Retardation Tolerance | Parallelism | Damage Threshold | Other Features |
Zero order Waveplate | | Two Plate | Yes | Large | Wide | High | Good | Low |
|
| Two Plate | No | Large | Wide | Higher | Better | High |
|
| Two Plate | No | Large | Wide | Higher | Better | Higher |
|
| Cemented | Two Plate | Yes | Large | Wide | Higher | Better | Low |
|
Single Plate | Single Plate | No | Larger | Wide | Higher | Better | Higher | Wide Acceptance Angle |
| Single Plate | No | Larger | Wide | Higher | Better | Higher | Wide Acceptance Angle |
| Single Plate | No | Low | Narrow | General | Better | Higher |
|
| Single Plate | No | Low | Narrow | General | Better | Higher |
|
| Single/Two Plate | No | Large | Wide | General | Better | High | Using in 2.5-6.0μm Range |
| Cemented | Two/Multi Plate | Yes | Large | Very broad | High | Good | Low |
|
Air Spaced | Two/Multi Plate | No | Large | Very broad | High | Better | Higher |
|
Wedge Waveplate | Two Plate | Yes | Large | Wide | Higher | / | Low | Eliminate Etalon effect |
How to choose a waveplate?
Firstly, you should know the retardation, is it a half waveplate or a quarter waveplate? Or even a special retardation?
Then, you should know the size and working wavelength.
Last, you should choose a type of waveplate. If temperature bandwidth and wavelength bandwidth is important for you, you should choose zero order or true zero order. For zero order, optical contacted has better wavefront distortion and parallelism, air spaced has high damage threshold. True zero order is better than zero order waveplate at all parameters and can be used at more critical application. When temperature bandwidth and wavelength bandwidth is not a problem for you, multi order is a better choice, it is cheap. If a zero order or true zero order waveplate does not offer retardance over a wide enough wavelength band, one solution is to use an achromatic waveplate, it has over hundreds of nanometers bandwidth.
Sometimes, the waveplate has unwanted Etalon effect, in order to eliminate this effect, Union Optic offer Wedge Waveplate to solve this problem. For detailed information, please contact us.
Due to the rotation activity of natural quartz crystal, it also can be used as polarization rotators so that the plane of input linearly polarized beam will be rotated at special angle which is determined by the thickness of quartz crystal. Left-handed and right-handed rotators can be offered by Union Optic now.
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