Polarizing Optics for Lasers

WISOPTIC Advantages of Laser Polarizers

• Wide variety of linear polarizers over UV, Visible and IR spectral ranges.

• Linear polarizers include laminated polymer film, laminated sheet, Polarcor dichroic glass, and Calcite crystal types.

• Antireflective coating (improve transmission, reduce glare, and readability).

• Pigtail (a polarization rotator which has a short length of optical fiber permanently fixed to a component).

• Broadband connections (has a uniform optical characteristics over a wide area of the spectrum in the polarization rotator).

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Product Details

Polarizer is a kind of optical filter where the light transmission depends strongly on the polarization state. Normally, light with linear polarization in a certain direction is passed, and light polarized in an orthogonal direction is either absorbed or propagated to a different direction.

For other directions of linear polarization with an angle θ against the“passing”direction, the transmission exhibits a cos² θ dependence. That can be understood by considering that linear polarization state as a linear superposition of the "passing”and the“blocked”state.

Most polarizers act based on linear polarizations. However, one can also construct devices passing light with a certain circular polarization, usually using one or more quarter waveplates or possibly Faraday rotators in conjunction with a linear polarizer.

Note that a polarizer can not convert any polarization of input light into the wanted polarization; this is physically not possible. It can only remove light with the unwanted polarization.

Polarizer	Material	Illustration	Properties & Application
Glan-Taylor Polarizer	α-BBO(190-3500) Calcite(350-2300) YVO4(450-5000)		Air-spaced. Cutting angle close to Brewster ±s Angle. The extraordinary ray passes through straightly with little deviation. Sealed mount without escape windows. Suits for low to medium power application where the rejected beam is not required.
Glan- Laser Polarizer	α-BBO(190-3500) Calcite(350-2300)		Better than Glan Taylor polarizer. Mounted with escape windows. Suits for high power application.
Glan-Thompson Polarizer	Calcite(350-2300)		Cemented. Suits for low power application. Special design for ratio of L/A (length/aperture) guarantees wide acceptance angle.
Wollastom Polarizer	Calcite(350-2300)		Cemented. Both ordinary and extraordinary beams are deviated. Suits for low power application and where large deviation is required.
Rochon Prism	α-BBO		Broad wavelength range. High UV transmission.n High extinction ratio. Large field angle.

Comparison of Different Materials of Polarizers

	YVO₄	Calcite	α-BBO	Quartz
Transparency Band	500-4000 nm	350-2300 nm	220-3000 nm	200-2300 nm
Crystal Type (uniaxial)	Positive n_o=n_a=n_b, n_e=n_c	Negative n_o=n_a=n_b, n_e=n_c	Negative n_o=n_a=n_b, n_e=n_c	Positive n_o=n_a=n_b, n_e=n_c
Mohs Hardness	5	3	4.5	7
Thermal Expansion Coefficient	aa=4.43x10^-6/K ac=11.37x10^-6/K	aa=24.39x10^-6/K ac=5.68x10^-6/K	aa=4x10^-6/K ac=36x10^-6/K	aa=6.2x10^-6/K ac=10.7x10^-6/K