The liquid crystal variable phase retarder (or phase shifter) is a transmissive element with an electrically tunable optical phase retardance. Optical retardation is often obtained with piezoelectric mirrors. However this option is not ideal if robust and compact design is necessary. This product offer an interesting alternative especially when working with polarized light (which is often the case when working with lasers). The Arcoptix phase retarder is a thin transmissive element causing minimal losses and can be simply placed within the optical path of your system. The more, its optical retardation is electrically tunable with the LC driver of ARCoptix (but it can also be driven with simple labor alternative power supply). Alternatively, it can also be used as optical valve (for a narrow wavelength range) or as polarization State controller (PSG).

• Compact and robust, no moving parts
  
• Transmissive element, which has weak absorption in VIS.
  
• Needs polarized light
  
• Electrically adjustable

The liquid crystal variable phase shifter can be compared to a variable waveplate. By addressing it with the right voltage, it is able to provide any phase shift from zero to several times the light wavelength. They can be used throughout the visible and the near infrared region (400nm to 1800nm) without losses higher than 15%. Thanks to the use of thick substrate (scientific grade) and a special liquid crystal bend were are capable to offer robust equipment with minimal wavefront distortion and power absorption.

• IVPR Industrial Grade VPR (Low Cost), without AR coating, 23mm (square) aperture, no housing, spacer (few microns) over the aperture, low beam deviation.
• SVPR Scientific Grade VPR (High Precision), two models:
  a. SVPR-10 Variable Phase Retarder, scientific grade, broadband AR coating, 10mm aperture and 25mm housing
  b. SVPR-20 Variable Phase Retarder scientific grade, broadband AR coating, 20mm aperture and housing with adjustable optical axis.
• Customization (Call for quotation)