Polarizer Overview

Polarizer	Material	Illustration	Properties and Application
Glan-Taylor Polarizer	a-BBO(190-3500nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) YVO4(500-4000nm)		Air-spaced Close to Brewster's Angle Cutting Low L/A=0.8 For medium power application
Glan-Laser Polarizer	a-BBO(190-3500nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) YVO4(500-4000nm)		Air-spaced. Close to Brewster's angle Cutting Mounted with escape window Suitable for high power applications L/A=1.5
Glan-Thompson Polarizer	a-BBO(220-900nm) Calcite(350-2300nm)		Cemented Suitable for low power applications Wide acceptance angle
Wollaston Polarizer	a-BBO(200-3500nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) YVO4(500-4000nm) Quartz(200-2300nm)		Cemented Separate ordinary and extraordinary beams at certain angle Suitable for low power application and where the large deviation is required
Rochon Polarizer	a-BBO(200-3500nm) YVO4(500-4000nm) Quartz(200-2300nm)		a-BBO is used to guarantee a wide transmission range Especially suitable for UV application Split the ordinary and extraordinary ray, but only ordinary beam is deviated
High Transmission Glan Laser Polarizers	YVO4(500-4000nm) Calcite(350-2300nm)		Air Spaced Brewster's Angle Cutting Mounted with escape window Suitable for high power and high transmission application Brewster Angle input
Glan Thompson Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes	Calcite (350-2300nm)		Cemented Suitable for low power application Wide acceptance angle field Split o-ray&e-ray at 45deg Only o-ray is deviated

Comparison of the four materials

	YVO4	Calcite	a-BBO	Quartz
Transparency	500-4000nm	350-2200nm	200-3500nm	200-2300nm
Crystal Class (Uniaxial)	Positive no=na=nb,ne=nc	Negative no=na=nb,ne=nc	Negative no=na=nb,ne=nc	Positive no=na=nb,ne=nc
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
Hygroscopic Susceptibility	Low	Low	Low	Low

Note: Kinds of sizes are available upon request.

Optical Components Optical material Prisms Lenses Windows Mirrors Beamsplitters Filters

Polarization Optics Waveplates Polarizers Polarization Beamsplitters Quartz Polarization Rotator Optical Isolator Brewster Window

IR Optics CaF2 Components MgF2 Components Ge Components Sapphire Components Si Components ZnSe Components ZnS Components

Optical Assemblies Optical Assemblies

Crystals Laser Crystals Nonlinear Crystals Birefringent Crystals Q-Switch Crystals Farady Crystal