Optical Crystals

Calcite:

Calcite is highly regarded as an exceptional material for optical applications due to its remarkable properties, including its high birefringence, broad spectral transmission, and the availability of reasonably sized crystals. However, it should be noted that calcite cannot be artificially synthesized. Only naturally occurring calcite crystals exist, which imposes limitations on achieving larger sizes while maintaining good optical quality. In recent years, the availability of high-quality optical calcite has become increasingly challenging, leading to a shortage of material for producing optical devices.

a-BBO:

a-BBO is a high-temperature crystal characterized by negative uniaxial properties. It exhibits significant birefringence across a wide transparency range spanning from 220nm to 3500 nm. With its exceptional UV transparency, excellent mechanical properties, and high damage threshold, a-BBO crystals serve as an excellent alternative to calcite in applications such as Glan-Taylor and Glan-Thompson polarizers. They are particularly well-suited for high-power and UV polarizers due to their unique characteristics. However, it is important to note that a-BBO crystals, being centrosymmetric, have limited utility for non-linear optical applications.

Dayoptics is a major supplier of a-BBO crystals and has developed expertise in synthesizing these crystals in-house, ensuring a consistent supply. We utilize these crystals to manufacture a range of high-quality polarizers, including Wollaston Polarizers, Glan Taylor Polarizers, Rochon Polarizers, High-Power Glan Laser Polarizers, Glan Thompson Polarizers.