ZOLIX QWLO Series Quartz Waveplates (Quarter-Wave and Half-Wave, Low-Order, AR-Coated & Uncoated)
| Brand | ZOLIX |
|---|---|
| Origin | Beijing, China |
| Manufacturer Type | Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) |
| Product Category | Domestic Optical Component |
| Model | QWLO |
| Pricing | Available Upon Request |
| Wavelength Range | 488–1064 nm |
| Diameter Options | 12.7 mm & 25.4 mm |
| Plate Type | Low-Order Quartz Waveplate (λ/4 & λ/2) |
| Coating Options | Uncoated or Broadband Anti-Reflection (AR) Coated (400–1100 nm) |
Overview
ZOLIX QWLO Series Quartz Waveplates are precision optical components engineered for controlled phase retardation in polarized light systems. Based on the birefringent properties of crystalline quartz, these waveplates introduce a defined phase shift—either π/2 (quarter-wave, λ/4) or π (half-wave, λ/2)—between orthogonal polarization components propagating collinearly through the crystal. The low-order design leverages the natural birefringence of quartz (Δn ≈ 0.009 at 532 nm) with thicknesses corresponding to integer multiples of the target retardation order (e.g., m·λ/4 or m·λ/2, where m ≥ 1). This architecture delivers high transmission (>95% per surface, uncoated; >99% with AR coating), excellent wavefront fidelity (<λ/10 RMS), and thermal stability suitable for alignment-critical applications in laser optics, interferometry, ellipsometry, and quantum optics setups.
Key Features
- Material: High-purity, optically polished synthetic quartz with crystal orientation ensuring consistent birefringence and minimal spatial variation in retardation.
- Retardation Accuracy: ±λ/300 typical at design wavelength; calibrated and verified via spectral interferometry or rotating analyzer polarimetry.
- Surface Quality: 10–5 scratch-dig specification; parallelism <3 arcsec; surface flatness λ/10 @ 633 nm.
- Coating Options: Standard uncoated version or broadband anti-reflection (BBAR) coating optimized for 400–1100 nm, reducing average reflectance to <0.5% per surface.
- Mechanical Mounting: Compatible with standard SM1 (1.035″-40) lens tubes and kinematic mounts; optional housed versions available with precision rotation stages (±0.1° resolution).
- Environmental Robustness: Operates from –20 °C to +70 °C; humidity-resistant bonding (for zero-order compound variants); no hygroscopic degradation.
Sample Compatibility & Compliance
The QWLO series is compatible with continuous-wave (CW) and pulsed lasers across visible and near-infrared spectra—including common DPSS (488 nm, 514 nm, 532 nm), HeNe (632.8 nm), Ti:Sapphire (800 nm), and Nd:YAG (1064 nm) sources. All waveplates meet ISO 10110-7:2017 specifications for retardation tolerance and surface quality. While not certified to IEC 61000-4-x EMC standards (as passive components), they are routinely deployed in systems compliant with ISO/IEC 17025-accredited laboratories and FDA-regulated optical metrology workflows. Zero-order and true-zero-order variants (available upon request) satisfy stringent requirements for achromaticity and temperature-insensitive operation in GLP/GMP-aligned instrumentation.
Software & Data Management
As passive optical elements, QWLO waveplates require no firmware or embedded software. However, ZOLIX provides comprehensive technical documentation—including spectral retardation curves, angular acceptance maps, and polarization extinction ratio (PER) data—for integration into optical design platforms such as Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, and FRED. Calibration reports include NIST-traceable reference measurements (where applicable) and are delivered in PDF and CSV formats. For system-level validation, ZOLIX supports custom characterization services including Mueller matrix measurement (per ASTM E2757-21) and laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) testing per ISO 21254-1.
Applications
- Conversion between linear and circular polarization states in laser cavity design and optical trapping systems.
- Polarization rotation and fine-tuning in Mach–Zehnder and Sagnac interferometers.
- Ellipsometric calibration standards for thin-film metrology tools (e.g., spectroscopic ellipsometers).
- Q-switching and mode-locking control in ultrafast laser oscillators and amplifiers.
- Quantum state preparation and analysis in photonic quantum information experiments (e.g., Bell-state generation).
- Optical isolation enhancement when paired with polarizers in high-power CW and pulsed laser delivery paths.
FAQ
What is the difference between low-order, zero-order, and true-zero-order waveplates?
Low-order waveplates use a single quartz plate with thickness corresponding to m·λ/4 (m > 1), offering cost-effective performance but limited temperature and wavelength bandwidth. Zero-order plates combine two quartz plates with orthogonal orientations (e.g., air-gap or cemented), canceling first-order dispersion to yield net λ/4 retardation with improved thermal stability. True-zero-order designs use ion-beam etching or crystal growth to achieve exact λ/4 thickness in a monolithic element—maximizing bandwidth and minimizing sensitivity to angle and temperature drift.
Can QWLO waveplates be used with femtosecond pulses?
Yes—provided pulse energy density remains below the manufacturer-specified LIDT (typically ≥5 J/cm² for 10 ns pulses at 1064 nm; de-rated for shorter pulses per ISO 21254). Group delay dispersion (GDD) must be modeled separately for ultrashort pulses; ZOLIX provides GDD data upon request for critical applications.
Do you offer custom wavelengths or diameters beyond the standard catalog?
Yes. ZOLIX supports OEM customization including non-standard wavelengths (e.g., 780 nm, 980 nm), diameters up to Ø50.8 mm, wedge-free substrates, and custom AR coatings (e.g., R<0.1% @ 1550 nm). Lead time and MOQ apply.
