Nova Phase has extensive experience in designing and manufacturing Glan-style prism polarizers made from calcite. Our newest design, a Glan Laser polarizer, made from YVO4 has the highest damage threshold available for a prism polarizer at 1.064μm. We also make UV Rochon polarizers, Wollaston prisms, and polarizing beam splitters.

Our Glan Laser Polarizers are made from the highest grade, scatter-free calcite for use in high power laser applications. Glan Laser prisms have the optic axis oriented perpendicular to the escape window providing for a much higher transmission. With an air-spaced design and prism angle cut close to the Brewster angle, these polarizers have minimal insertion loss.

Two polished escape windows allow a bi-directional escape path for the s-polarization component making our Glan Laser polarizers suitable for multi-pass applications such as Q-switch laser cavities.

Custom AR coatings are available for the entrance, exit, and escape windows.

General Specifications:

High Damage Threshold 500W cw, 500MW/cm2 High Extinction Ratio - 100,000:1 Clear Aperture - 5mm, 10mm Dual Escape Ports Low Length / Aperture ratio - 1.4 220nm to 2300nm operation Custom Sizes & Coatings available

Calcite Polarizers Data Sheet

Our Glan Taylor Polarizers are made from high-grade calcite. They are similar to the Glan Laser polarizer in that the optic axis is perpendicular to the escape window and they use an air spaced design with a prism angle close to the Brewster angle. The chief advantage over a Glan Thomspon design is a lower insertion loss and lower length to aperture ratio (1.4).

Unlike the Glan Laser, these do not have a polished escape window (i.e., only the p-polarization is available on the output). Therefore the maximum power rating is lower and the escape port is coated with an absorbing material to minimize back reflections.

Custom AR coatings are available for the entrance and exit windows.

Lower Cost than Glan Laser Damage Threshold - 2W CW High Extinction Ratio - 100,000:1 Clear Aperture - 5mm, 10mm Low Length / Aperture (1.4) 220nm to 2300nm operation Custom Sizes & Coating available

Our Glan Thompson Polarizers are used where large Field of View (FOV) and high extinction ratio are important. They are made from the highest grade calcite and cemented together using a UV epoxy. The optic axis is parallel to the entrance window and prism angle thereby providing a larger FOV than the Glan Laser or Taylor designs. The ordinary ray is the output ray and the extraordinary ray is absorbed on the escape window.

For enhanced UV transmission, we offer optically contacted Glan Thompson polarizers.

Custom AR coatings are available for the entrance and exit windows.

Large Field of View – 25°. High Extinction Ratio -  >100,000:1 Damage Threshold - 1W CW Clear Aperture - 5mm, 10mm 350 to 2300nm Operation (uncoated) Custom Sizes & Coating available

Our UV Rochon prisms are made from high-grade, single crystal magnesium fluoride, a material with high birefringence and UV transparency. These polarizers will operate over a broad range of wavelengths from 140nm to 7000nm.

Rochon prisms are beam splitting polarizers. The optic axis is parallel to the input beam for the first prism and perpendicular to the input beam for the second prism. This results in two orthagonally-polarized output beams. The ordinary ray is undeviated, the extraordinary ray deviated by an angle, theta, which is a function of wavelength and the prism angle.

Note: Rochon prisms are in general not bi-directional. The input aperture is marked for your convenience,

For enhanced UV transmission, our UV Rochon prisms are optically contacted together which also makes them vacuum compatible.

Custom AR coatings and prism angles are available.

Suitable for UV operation. Broad Spectral Range - 140nm to 7000nm Large Aperture - 9 x 12mm Vacuum Compatible Available mounted and unmounted Custom Coatings and design angles available

Wollaston prisms are beam splitting polarizers like the Rochon prism, however the optic axis in the first prism is perpendicular to the input beam. This creates two output beams with nearly symmetrical deviation. Like the Rochon, the angle of deviation for the Wollaston prism is a function of wavelength.

Our Wollaston prisms are made from high-grade calcite for maximum beam deviation. We can also make these prisms out of other birefringent material such as quartz, magnesium fluoride, and YVO4 to meet your specific needs.

Note: Wollaston prisms are in general, not bidirectional. The input aperture is marked for your convenience.

Our standard Wollaston prisms are cemented with a UV epoxy.

Nova Phase can design custom Wollaston prism angles to meet a specific deviation angle for your wavelength.

Large angular separation Broad Spectral Range - 140nm to 7000nm Large Aperture - 10mm Custom Coatings and design angles available