Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-15-1984

Abstract

A design procedure is described to determine the thicknesses of single-layer coatings of a given dielectric on a given metallic substrate so that a specified net phase retardance (and/or a net relative amplitude attenuation) between the p and s polarizations is achieved after three reflections from a symmetrical arrangement of three mirrors that maintain collinearity of the input and output beams. Examples are presented of halfwave and quarterwave retarders (HWR and QWR) that use a ZnS-Ag film-substrate system at the CO2-laser wavelength λ = 10.6 µm. The equal net reflectances for the p and s polarizations are computed and found to be high (above 90%) for most designs. Sensitivity of the designs (deviation of the magnitude and phase of the ratio of net complex p and s reflection coefficients from design specifications) to small film thickness and angle-of-incidence errors is examined, and useful operation over a small wavelength range (10–11 µm) is demonstrated.

Journal Name

Applied Optics

Comments

This paper was published in Applied Optics and is made available as an electronic reprint with the permission of OSA. The paper can be found at the following URL on the OSA website: http://www.opticsinfobase.org/ao/abstract.cfm?URI=ao-23-16-2752. Systematic or multiple reproduction or distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law.

Download

Share

COinS