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Achromatic and super-achromatic zero-order waveplates

2004; Elsevier BV; Volume: 88; Issue: 1-3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.jqsrt.2003.12.034

1879-1352

A.V. Samoylov, V.S. Samoylov, A. P. Vidmachenko, A.V. Perekhod,

Optics and Image Analysis

We discuss a brief classification of waveplates including achromatic and super-achromatic ones. Anizotropic properties of polymethylmethacrylat (PMMA) subjected to one-axis stretching are analyzed. The parameters controlling the value of the PMMA birefringence are identified and their typical spectral dependence is discussed. The technology for manufacturing achromatic and super-achromatic, one-axis-stretched PMMA waveplates is described, which excludes any mechanical processing of waveplate component surfaces. Technical characteristics of achromatic and super-achromatic waveplates manufactured of the same material (anisotropic PMMA) are discussed. It is shown that the use of the same material eliminates the appearance of interference ripple in transmission, which is a typical characteristic of quartz–MgF2 super-achromatic waveplates. Examples of using super-achromatic waveplates in astronomical observations are described.