Electro Optical Components, Inc. Wedge Depolarizer

The wedge depolarizer is the alternative form which should be used for monochromatic light sources. Again, a thick plate is manufactured in which the optical axis is in the plane of the plate. In use, the optical axis is aligned at 45° to the axis of the incoming polarized light and the thickness of the plate is varied in the plane of the incoming light (a wedge), thus producing a variable birefringence across the aperture of the plate. A second plate of index matching but non-birefringent material is added to the first plate to provide a compensation of the wedge angle, thus minimizing deviation of the beam but maintaining the depolarization. The most common combination is to use crystal quartz and fused silica, usually optically contacted together to enable applications into the ultra-violet. Quartz-Silica Wedge Depolarizer Leysop can provide these components in whatever diameter, thickness, number of sections you require (we have manufactured 22 section Lyot depolarizers for one especially critical application) and with or without AR coatings, as you prefer. Components can be provided mounted in protective rings or supplied bare. Please email us for your specific requirements.