General Optics

Prisms & Rhombs

Produce quarter-wave, half-wave, or other retardations with broadband sources or multiple wavelengths over 8 - 12 µm.

These Fresnel prisms and rhombs use total internal reflection to produce a phase change between s- and p-polarizations that is nearly wavelength independent. This enables straight-through and angled components with virtually any desired retardation.

Prisms & Rhombs Design Guide

Select various geometries to produce different polarization effects and also angles or offsets in the transmitted beam path.

Prism Type

Configuration

Notes

Quarter-Wave Prism

Turns the beam path.

Quarter-Wave Rhomb

The output beam is parallel but displaced from the input.

Half-Wave Rhomb

Output polarization can be rotated. The output beam is parallel but linearly displaced from the input beam.