Non-Polarising Beam Splitters

11 Apr 2016

A classic 50:50 beam splitter will change the polarisation characteristics of incident light.  Circularly-polarised laser radiation is divided into elliptically-polarised partial beams, corresponding to the different reflection values for p-polarisation and s-polarisation.

This however does not have to be the case! For CO₂ lasers, we have ‘non-polarising’ beam splitters, designed to maintain the polarisation state of the laser beam for both the reflected and the transmitted partial beam.

The coating is applied to laser grade ZnSe, and achieves split ratio of 50±1% at 10.6µm, while maintaining the polarisation state of the incident light.  One of the several coating layers is Germanium, making the coating opaque in the visible spectrum.

Non-polarising beam splitters are suited for a laser intensity of

We have a range of standard non polarising beam splitters of diameter between 25.0mm and 50.8mm available for quick dispatch, as well as custom options upon request.