Bi-Crystalline Achromatic Waveplate

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Available Only By Quote

Key Features

  • High Damage Threshold
  • Volume Pricing
  • Superior IR performance
  • Broad Spectral Performance
  • UV Models Available

Meadowlark Optics is pleased to offer a selection of quarter and half-wave achromatic retarders that span the UV, visible, near IR and IR portions of the spectrum. Two multi-order crystalline retarders, one made of crystalline quartz and the other magnesium fluoride, are combined in a subtractive mode to give an effective zero-order waveplate.

By a careful choice of waveplate thicknesses, retardance dispersion is balanced to give a nearly constant retardance (in waves) over a broad range of wavelengths. The useable wavelength range is defined to give a retardance value within λ/100 of the nominal value. Custom designs with larger achromatic ranges or deeper UV wavelengths are available on request.

Common Specifications

Retarder Material: Quartz & Magnesium Fluoride
Retardance: λ/4 or λ/2
Temp. Coefficient of Retardance: λ/500 per ˚C
Transmitted Wavefront Distortion: ≤ λ/4
Surface Quality: 40 – 20 scratch-dig

Beam Deviation: ≤ 1 arc-min
Reflectance (per surface): ≤ 0.5 % at normal incidence
Storage Temperature: – 40 ˚C to + 75 ˚C
Threshold: 2 J/cm², 10 ns, 1064 nm

Mounting
Size
Wavelength Range (nm)
Retardance
10 per page
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Item #
Mount
Size
Wavelength
Retardance
Clear Aperture
Thickness
Lead Time
Quote
CQM-050-UV
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
395-465
λ/4
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CHM-050-UV
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
412-475
λ/2
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CQM-050-VIS
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
475-590
λ/4
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CHM-050-VIS
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
500-650
λ/2
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CQM-050-NIR
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
600-900
λ/4
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CHM-050-NIR
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
600-840
λ/2
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CQM-050-IR
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
690-2050
λ/4
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CHM-050-IR
Mounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
1190-1660
λ/2
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CQ-050-UV
Unmounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
395-465
λ/4
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
CH-050-UV
Unmounted
0.500 in. (12.70 mm)
412-475
λ/2
≥ 0.400 in. (10.16 mm) centered
Please Inquire
12

Bi-Crystalline Achromatic Waveplate

Bi-Crystalline Achromats are similar in achromatic performance to our polymer achromats in the visible, but they excel in the IR. They have higher power handling capability than our polymer achromats and can with stand higher storage temperatures. Their field of view is narrow compared to polymer achromats. Typically, they cannot be expected to meet their retardance accuracy for rays whose incidence angles exceed 1.5°. If you must have the performance of a Bi-Crystalline Achromat and a large field of view, contact us. We have a proprietary design that can be your polarization solution.

SPECIFICATIONS

Retarder Material

Quartz & Magnesium Fluoride

Retardance

λ/4 or λ/2

Temp. Coefficient of Retardance

λ/500 per ˚C

Standard Wavelengths – Quarter Wave

Ultraviolet
Visible
Near Infrared
Infrared

395 – 465 nm
475 – 590 nm
600 – 900 nm
690 – 2050 nm

Standard Wavelengths – Half Wave

Ultraviolet
Visible
Near Infrared
Infrared

412 – 475 nm
500 – 650 nm
600 – 840 nm
1190 – 1660 nm

Transmitted Wavefront Distortion

≤ λ/4

Surface Quality

40 – 20 scratch-dig

Beam Deviation

≤ 1 arc-min

Reflectance (per surface)

≤ 0.5 % at normal incidence

Storage Temperature

– 40 ˚C to + 75 ˚C

Threshold

2 J/cm², 10 ns, 1064 nm

Ordering Information – Contact Us or Buy Online

ORDERING INFORMATION

Mounted

Clear Aperture 
in. (mm)

Diameter
in. (mm)

Part Number

Half Wave

0.40
(10.2 mm)

1.00
(25.4 mm)

CHM – 050

Quarter Wave

0.40
(10.2 mm)

1.00
(25.4 mm)

CQM – 050

Unmounted

Clear Aperture 
in. (mm)

Diameter
in. (mm)

Part Number

Half Wave

0.40
(10.2 mm)

0.50
(12.7 mm)

CH – 050

Quarter Wave

0.40
(10.2 mm)

0.50
(12.7 mm)

CQ – 050

We offer standard Bi-Crystalline Achromatic Retarders to cover 4 regions of the spectrum: UV, VIS, NIR, IR
Please specify wavelength region when placing order.

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WAVEPLATE OR RETARDER Operating Principles

Graphs & Figures

Waveplate Selection Guide

request a custom quote or get technical answers

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