Polarization Optics Selection Guide
Selecting the proper polarization optic for your application requires making a number of choices. A few of the many considerations include: polarization function, extinction ratio, transmission efficiency, laser damage resistance, wavefront distortion, and certainly cost. Newport also offers a wide variety of Rotational Mounts for mounting polarization optics. The information in this section should help in comparing the available choices from Newport.
Selecting an Polarization Optic
Wave Plates
| Description | Retardation Accuracy | Cost | Laser Damage Threshold | Features/Applications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Multiple-Order Quartz Wave Plates (λ/2, λ/4) |
±λ/300 | Low | 2 MW/cm2 CW, 2 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical | Dual wavelength multiple-order wave plates available |
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Zero-Order Quartz Wave Plates (λ/2, λ/4) |
±λ/300 | Moderate | 2 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical | Air spaced for high damage threshold, less sensitive to wavelength and temperature variation than multiple-order wave plates |
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Zero-Order Polymer Wave Plates (λ/2, λ/4) |
±λ/350 | Low/Moderate | 500 W/cm2 CW, 4 J/cm2 with 20 nsec pulses at 1064 nm, typical | Least sensitive to wavelength variation, best angular acceptance, large clear apertures available |
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Achromatic Zero-Order Quartz-MgF2 Wave Plates (λ/2, λ/4) |
From ±λ/50 to ±λ/100 | Moderate | 500 W/cm2 CW, 2 J/cm2 with 8 nsec pulses at 1064 nm, typical | Superior broadband performance, higher damage threshold than achromatic polymer film wave plates |
 |
Achromatic Zero-Order Polymer Wave Plates (λ/2, λ/4) |
±λ/100 | High | 500 W/cm2 CW, 0.3 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, visible; 0.5 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses at 1064 nm, typical | Superior broadband performance, less sensitive to wavelength change and better angular acceptance than achromatic quartz-MgF2 wave plates |
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Berek’s Variable Waveplates | λ/1000 @ null λ/100 @ 2 |
High | Work as a quarter-wave plate, a half-wave plate, or any arbitrary waveplate at any wavelength between 200 and 1600 nm, 0-5.8π @ 0.3 µm, 0-π @ 1.6 µm |
Polarizers
| Description | Extinction Ratio Tp/Ts |
Transmission Efficiency | Laser Damage Threshold | Features/Applications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Glan-Thompson Calcite Polarizers | >100,000:1 | Ts >90% | 1 W/cm2 CW, 0.1 µJ/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical (uncoated) | Extreme polarization purity, very broadband, cemented calcite prism design for lower power laser use, large acceptance angle permits use with diverging and converging beams |
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Glan-Laser Calcite Polarizers | >100,000:1 | Tp >92%–95% | 500 W/cm2 CW, 4 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical (uncoated) | Extreme polarization purity, very broadband, air-spaced design for high damage threshold, exit apertures provide for safe escape of rejected polarization |
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Rotatable Glan-Thompson Calcite Polarizers | >100,000:1 | Ts >95% | 10 W/cm2 CW, typical | Extreme polarization purity, very broadband, cemented calcite prism design for lower power laser use, integrated with a rotation mount |
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Wollaston Calcite Polarizing Prisms | >100,000:1 | 1 W/cm2 CW, typical (uncoated) | Extreme polarization purity, very broadband, cemented calcite prism design for lower power laser use, output beams separated by 20 degrees | |
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Polarcor™ Dichroic Glass Linear Polarizers | >10,000:1 | T >79-94%, polarized input | 1000 W/cm2 CW, 6 J/cm2 with 13 nsec pulses at 1064 nm (pass), typical 30 W/cm2 CW, 0.17 J/cm2 with 13 nsec pulses at 1064 nm (block), typical | Very high polarization purity, large acceptance angle, compact design, less expensive than calcite polarizers |
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Laminated Sheet Linear Polarizers | >4,000:1 | T >32%, unpolarized input | 100W/cm2 CW, 75 J/cm2 with 20 nsec pulses | High polarization purity, large aperture and acceptance angle, compact design, less expensive than calcite polarizers |
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Laminated Polymer Film Linear Polarizers | >150–1,000:1 | T >17-37%, unpolarized input | 1 W/cm2 CW, 0.2 J/cm2 with 20 nsec pulses, visible, typical | Large apertures available, for lower power laser applications |
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Unmounted Laminated Polymer Film Linear Polarizers | >100-1,000:1 | T = 30% ±3%, unpolarized input | 1 W/cm2 CW, 0.2 J/cm2 with 20 nsec pulses, typical | Large aperture, low cost, ideal for low power NIR lasers, LEDs, and other NIR sources |
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High-Energy Nd:YAG Laser Thin Film Polarizers | >100:1 | Tp >95% | 5 MW/cm2 CW, 5 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses at 10 Hz @ 1064 nm | High damage threshold, high transmission efficiency at Nd:YAG wavelengths |
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Thin Film Polarizers For Ultrashort Pulses | Tp/Ts>5:1 & 95:1 | Tp, avg >95% | 3 J/cm2 @ 800 nm, 10 ns pulse, 10-100Hz | Low dispersion minimizes pulse broadening, high transmission efficiency over the Ti:Sapphire tuning range |
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Laser Line Polarizing Cube Beamsplitters | >1,000:1 | Tp >95% | 2 kW/cm2 CW, 1 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical | High polarization purity and transmission efficiency over a narrow band, cemented prism pair, for moderate power lasers |
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Broadband Polarizing Cube Beamsplitters | >500:1 | Tp,avg >90% | 2 kW/cm2 CW, 1 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical | Moderate polarization purity and transmission efficiency over a wide band, cemented prism pair, for moderate power lasers |
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High-Energy Nd:YAG Laser Polarizing Cube Beamsplitters | >200:1 | Tp >95% | 10 J/cm2 with 10 nsec pulses, typical | Moderate polarization purity and high transmission efficiency over a narrow band, optically contacted prism pair, for high power lasers |