Bi-Crystalline Achromatic Waveplate (Quarter Wave Retarder)

Electro-optics

Meadowlark Optics is pleased to offer a selection of quarter and half-wave achromatic retarders that span the UV, visible, near IR and IR portions of the spectrum. Two multi-order crystalline retarders, one made of crystalline quartz and the other magnesium fluoride, are combined in a subtractive mode to give an effective zero-order waveplate.

Bi-Crystalline Achromats are similar in achromatic performance to our polymer achromats in the visible, but they excel in the IR. They have higher power handling capability than our polymer achromats and can with stand higher storage temperatures. Their field of view is narrow compared to polymer achromats. Typically, they cannot be expected to meet their retardance accuracy for rays whose incidence angles exceed 1.5°. If you must have the performance of a Bi-Crystalline Achromat and a large field of view.

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Green Architecture

Evermind™ template is crafted like sustainable structures — clean, scalable, and built to last.

Precision Engineering

Every layout and component is tuned with variables and pixel-perfect details, so your brand stands on solid ground.

Dynamic Interactions

From nature-inspired transitions to fluid page structures, Evermind™ feels alive yet quietly sophisticated.

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What is a Bi-Crystalline Achromatic Waveplate?

A bi-crystalline achromatic waveplate combines two crystal elements of different materials (such as quartz and MgF2) to produce retardance that is nearly constant over a broad wavelength range.

Why is achromaticity important in a quarter-wave retarder?

An achromatic quarter-wave retarder maintains close to 90-degree retardance across a wide wavelength range, ensuring accurate circular polarization or polarization rotation for broadband or tunable laser applications.

What wavelength range can a bi-crystalline achromatic waveplate cover?

Depending on the material combination, bi-crystalline achromatic waveplates can be designed for ranges spanning from the UV through the near-infrared, with the specific range defined by the crystal pair used.