Soleil-Babinet Compensators
A Soleil-Babinet compensator can be regarded as a retarder with variable path difference. It can be used for the determination of polarization states as well for the realization of arbitrary values of retardation.
The compensators are comprising a movable long wedge as well as a short wedge and compensation plate which are mounted with fixed position. The crystal axes of the compensator plate is aligned at 90° with respect to the axes of the wedges. This allows to achieve zero order retardation values. The sum of the center thickness of the wedges equals the thickness of the compensator plate. Therefore, the path difference is zero in the center position and the compensator can be set to retardation value of both signs. The path difference depends linearly on the displacement of the wedge. The wedge position can adjusted and determined precisely by means of a micrometer screw.
We offer several models made either from quartz crystal or from MgF 2 an with different wedge angles. Small wedge angles grant a higher resolution of the path difference. However, for most applications the wedge angle has to large enough to obtain an adjustment range of at least ±λ/2 at the operation wavelength λ. The conditions determine the recommended spectral range.
Optical specifications
Modell | RKM 07 | RKQ 10 | RKQ 22 | RKM 70 |
material | MgF2 | quartz | quartz | MgF2 |
recommended spectral range | 130-1000 nm | 250-1800 nm | 500-2500 nm | 2000-7000 nm |
wedge angle | 0,25° | 0,5° | 1,25° | 5,5° |
adjustment range | > ±633 nm | > ±900 nm | > ±2100 nm | > ±6800 nm |
flatness | <λ/10 | <λ/20 | <λ/20 | <λ/10 |
Standard dimensions
Art. No. | RKM 07 | RKQ 10 | RKQ 22 | RKM 70 |
free aperture | 12 mm | 12 mm | 12 mm | 12 mm |
lateral displacement | ± 12,5 mm | ± 12,5 mm | ± 12,5 mm | ± 12,5 mm |
graduation of the micrometer | 10µm | 10µm | 10µm | 10µm |
mounting diameter | 25 mm | 25 mm | 25 mm | 25 mm |
Version from quartz
order no. | 1 piece in € | 2 piece in € | 3-5 piece in € |
---|---|---|---|
RKQ 10 | 3310.- | 3055.- | 2851.- |
RKQ 22 | 3867.- | 3437.- | 3094.- |
Version from MgF2
order no. | 1 piece in € | 2 piece in € | 3-5 piece in € |
---|---|---|---|
RKM 07 | 4696.- | 4109.- | 3639.- |
RKM 70 | 5170.- | 4523.- | 4007.- |
Price custom version
option | order-no.: | additional price in EUR |
calibration of slope and zero position available at selected wavelengths(e.g. 633nm, 546 nm, 435 nm) |
RKQ 001 | 164.- price per wavelength |
rotational mount | MTK 113 | see site rotational mount |
motorized or digital micrometer screw | --- | on request |