The 10RP44-1 Achromatic Zero-order Wave Plate has λ/4 retardation over a 545 nm center wavelength. The standard 25.4 mm outer diameter is convenient for mounting into Newport rotary mounts. It is designed to operate with a high degree of retardation accuracy over a broad wavelength range. This 1 inch diameter true zero-order wave plate is constructed using a stack of birefringent polymer films laminated between two high-precision BK 7 windows, each with a high efficiency, broadband antireflection coating. This construction ensures excellent transmitted wavefront quality, while minimizing beam deviation and surface reflection losses. The assembly is mounted in a black anodized aluminum housing for protection and ease of mounting, with the retarder fast axis marked for alignment reference. Achromatic polymer wave plates have better angular acceptance and less sensitivity to wavelength change than achromatic quartz–MgF2 wave plates. Retardation changes by less than 1% over a ±7° incidence angle and is maintained to better than ±λ/100 over the entire bandwidth. Optical transmittance varies slightly from the precision zero-order wave plates because several polymer layers are used in each achromatic wave plate.
| Model | 10RP44-1 |
|---|---|
| Type | Achromatic Zero-Order Waveplates |
| Wavelength Range | 460 to 644 nm |
| Clear Aperture | 10.2 mm |
| Material | Grade A BK7 |
| Thickness | 0.24 in. (6.0 mm) |
| Surface Quality | 40-20 scratch-dig |
| Damage Threshold | 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 |
| Diameter | 1 in. (25.4 mm) |
| Diameter Tolerance | ±0.13 mm |
| Housing | Black anodized aluminum |
| Transmitted Beam Deviation | ≤1 arc min |
| Retardation | λ/4 |
| Retardation Accuracy | ±λ/100 |
| Wavelength | 460 nm |
| Wavelength | 644 nm |
| Wavefront Distortion | ≤λ/4 at 632.8 nm over the full aperture |
| Acceptance Angle | ± 7° |
| Reflectivity per Surface | Broadband, multilayer coating, Ravg <0.5% |
| Cleaning | Non-abrasive method, acetone or isopropyl alcohol on lens tissue recommended |
