Achromatic Waveplates
Achromatic waveplates function in mid-IR
applications, e.g. controlling the polarization
state of light throughout the spectrum available
from CO2 lasers.
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Waveplates
From crystal growth, crystal orientation and cutting, to waveplate fabrication and coating, no other waveplate supplier has as much control over the fabrication stages as G&H.
Our waveplates been used in the cutting edge of research at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s NIF project to the most demanding of production environments in semiconductor metrology equipment.
For all wavelength ranges, we orient, cut, and polish the optical crystals for waveplate production. Tight internal controls enable better retardation tolerances within and between production runs.
Polishing, coating, assembly, and metrology complete the manufacturing process.
Compound zero-order (also known as net-zero order) and achromatic waveplates are often optically contacted to reduce reflection losses at the surfaces. Air-spacing is recommended for high energy applications. Specialty waveplate designs such as off-axis or true-zero order waveplates are produced to custom specifications.
Waveplates from the UV to the NIR
From crystal orientation to assembled product, we produce cutting-edge waveplates for a varied range of applications and customers.
- Crystal quartz – standard material for UV-NIR waveplate applications
- LiNbO3 – infrequently used in 1.5 µm applications and optical frequency shifters
- MgF2 – typically used in combination with crystal quartz for achromatic waveplates
- Mica – for ophthalmology applications
- Sapphire – for defense applications in extreme environmental conditions
- YVO4 – waveplates for the 400 nm to 5 µm ranges
Waveplates for the IR, higher energies, or larger formats
As the world's only entirely vertically integrated CdS, CdSe, and KDP waveplate producer, we deliver accurate performance for demanding applications.
Our control over crystal growth benefits customers who need larger sizes, high laser damage threshold performance, or more accurate retardation tolerances.
Read more about achromatic waveplates for applications in the infrared between 3-12 μm here.
Applications
Aerospace, astronomy, biomedical, laser power control and attenuation, military, optical isolation, polarimetry, remote sensing, semiconductor metrology, spectroscopy, surveillance.
| Visible and NIR Specifications | UV, VIS, NIR Multiple Order, Net-Zero, Dual | UV, VIS, NIR Achromatic | UV, VIS, NIR High Energy |
| Substrate material | Crystal quartz | Crystal quartz and MgF2 | KDP or KD*P |
| Sizes | 5 mm to 150 mm | 5 mm to 50 mm | 5 mm to 430 mm |
| High surface quality | Scratch-dig 10-5 | 40-20 typical | 10-5 < 20 mm 20-10 < 430 mm |
| Retardation tolerance | λ/500 at 23°C at 633 nm | λ/72 at 23°C | |
| Operating conditions | 10 J/cm2, 20 ns pulse, 20 Hz | 10 J/cm2,10 ns pulse at 1064 nm | |
| Transmission | 99.9% | 99% | 99% |
| Transmitted wavefront | λ/10 at 633 nm | λ/10 at 633 nm | λ/6 at 633 nm |
| Parallelism |
| Infrared Specifications* | IR multiple ordersingle wavelength (3 µm- 12 µm) | IR Net zero orderNarrow range (3 µm- 12 µm) | Achromatic 3-5 µm, 5-8 µm, or 8-12 µm |
| Substrate material | CdS or CdSe | CdS/CdS or CdSe/CdSe | CdS/CdSe |
| Sizes | 4 mm to 29 mm | 4 mm to 29 mm | 4 mm to 29 mm |
| Retardation/tolerance | ± 5° at design wavelength | ± 5° at design wavelength | ± 10° |
| Transmission | >97% at design wavelength | >90% at center wavelength | >90% at center wavelength |
*custom wavelength ranges available
G&H has received IS09001 certification across all of its manufacturing facilities. AS9100C certification has been achieved at select facilities.