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RONAR-SMITH® LASER OPTICS & IR IMAGING

Phase Retarder...

Reflective Phase Retarder

Reflective Phase Retarders are used as beam bending mirrors external to the laser cavity to establish and maintain circular polarization. This requirement is particularly vital for laser material processing applications where cut or scribed edge quality, or weld penetration, is critical to the consistency and precision of the final part. Ninety degree Phase Retarders, also commonly called circular polarizers, are used external to the laser cavity to transform the laser's linearly polarized beam into a circularly polarized beam. Zero degree Phase Retarders maintain control over the circularly polarized beam.


Part No. Material Diameter (inch/mm) Thickness (inch/mm) Side 1 Radius Side 1 Reflectivity (%R)
90 degree Phase Retarder
90RCU-1.5-6.4 Copper 1.50" 0.250" Plano >98.0%
90RCU-50-10 Copper 50mm 10mm Plano >98.0%
90RCU-50-25-WC Copper 50mm 25mm Plano >98.0%
90RCU-2.0-9.5 Copper 2.00" 0.375" Plano >98.0%
90RCU-57-10 Copper 57mm 10mm Plano >98.0%
90RSI-1.5-4 Silicon 1.50" 0.160" Plano >98.0%
90RSI-2.0-5 Silicon 2.00" 0.200" Plano >98.0%
90RSI-2.0-9.5 Silicon 2.00" 0.375" Plano >98.0%
0 degree Phase Retarder
0RCU-50-10 Copper 50mm 10mm Plano >99.8%
0RCU-50-5 Copper 50mm 0.200" Plano >99.8%
0RCU-50-25-WC Copper 50mm 25mm Plano >99.8%
0RCU-57-10 Copper 57mm 0.394" Plano >99.8%
0RCU-60-6 Copper 60mm 0.236" Plano >99.5%
0RSI-1.5-4 Silicon 1.50" 0.160" Plano >99.6%
0RSI-2.0-5 Silicon 2.00" 0.200" Plano >99.5%
0RSI-3.0-6.4 Silicon 3.00" 0.250" Plano >99.5%
Transmissive Phase Retarder
It¡¯s necessary to alter or manipulate the source¡¯s polarization. For example, a reflective phase retarder converts linear to circular polarization and improves the laser cutting quality. However, most polarization altering devices: the reflective phase retarder and waveplates are very wavelength sensitive and offer only narrowband, or single wavelength operation.

The Fresnel prisms and rhombs described on this page utilize the principle that when light undergoes total internal reflection, there is a relative phase change between the s and p polarization components. This effect is only weakly dependent on wavelength (Figure 1). As a result, these components are ideal for those working at either multiple distinct wavelengths or with broadband sources in the 8 to 12 µm region.

By manipulating the rhomb¡¯s geometry, devices which produce quarter-wave, half-wave, or virtually any required retardation can be constructed. Please contact our sales representative with your design requirements.

Figure 1

This quarter-wave prism converts linear into circular polarization, and turns the beam path.
This quarter-wave rhomb produces an output beam which is parallel, but displaced from, the input. This half-wave rhomb changes the polarization¡¯s orientation for a linearly polarized input. The output polarization orientation is varied by rotating the rhomb around the optical axis. The output beam is parallel to, but displaced from, the input beam.


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