Polarizer Overview
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Polarizer
|
Material | Illustration | Properties and Application |
| Glan-Taylor Polarizer |
a-BBO(190-3500nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) YVO4(500-4000nm) |
 |
|
| Glan-Laser Polarizer |
a-BBO(190-3500nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) YVO4(500-4000nm) |
? 
|
|
| Glan-Thompson Polarizer |
a-BBO(220-900nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) |
? 
|
|
| Wollaston Polarizer |
a-BBO(200-3500nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) YVO4(500-4000nm) Quartz(200-2300nm) |
? 
|
|
| Rochon Polarizer |
a-BBO(200-3500nm) YVO4(500-4000nm) Quartz(200-2300nm) |
? 
|
|
| High Transmission Glan Laser Polarizers |
YVO4(500-4000nm) Calcite(350-2300nm) |
 ? |
|
| Glan Thompson Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes |
? ? ? ? ?Calcite ? (350-2300nm) |
 ? |
|
Comparison of the four materials
| ? | YVO4 | Calcite | a-BBO | Quartz |
| Transparency | 500-4000nm | 350-2200nm | 200-3500nm | 200-2300nm |
| Crystal Class (Uniaxial) | Positive no=na=nb,ne=nc |
Negative no=na=nb,ne=nc |
Negative no=na=nb,ne=nc |
Positive no=na=nb,ne=nc |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 | 3 | 4.5 | 7 |
| Thermal Expansion Coefficient | aa=4.43x10-6/K ac=11.37x10-6/K |
aa=24.39x10-6/K ac=5.68x10-6/K |
aa=4x10-6/K ac=36x10-6/K |
aa=6.2x10-6/K ac=10.7x10-6/K |
| Hygroscopic Susceptibility | Low | Low | Low | Low |
