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Babinet Soleil Compensator is a variable waveplate. For example, it
converts circularly or elliptically polarized light into linearly
polarized light or vice versa. In crystal quartz, it is available in three
standard models with retardation range at 633 nm of 0 to 1 wave, 0 to 3
waves and 0 to 6 waves. These are available with or without anti-reflection
coating in cemented, optically contacted and air-spaced versions. Please
refer to our Anti Reflection Coating page on this web site. In single
crystal magnesium fluoride, the Babinet Soleil Compensator is available in
one standard model with retardation range at 633 nm of 0 to 4 waves. It is
available without anti-reflection coating and in air-spaced version only.
The compensator consists of two wedges of the same wedge angle and a
parallel plate. The optic axes of the two wedges has the same orientation.
These form a variable thickness plate . One of the wedges is assembled to
the fixed parallel plate. The optic axis of the parallel plate is at 90
degrees to that of the wedges. The other wedge is attached to a micrometer
and moves to produce a thickness difference between the fixed and variable
thickness plates, thus producing a variable phase delay. The range of
micrometer screw is 10 mm and it's least count is .01 mm. Over the 10 mm
micrometer range, the three standard crystal quartz models have
retardation of 1, 3 or 6 waves at 633 nm ( i.e. retardation of 633
nm, 1899 nm and 3798 nm respectively ) and the standard magnesium
fluoride model has retardation of 4 waves at 633 nm ( i.e. 2532 nm ).
An
optional rotatable mount ( KLC Model DCGF ) is available which allows easy and accurate
adjustment of the compensator azimuth to within an accuracy of less than
one arc minute. A
dovetail slide permits the compensator to be easily removed from the light
beam path.
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