Tuniu Optics provides the following polarizers with four materials include a-BBO, Calcite, Quartz and YVO4 for widest spectrum and high polarization application.
Note:
Classic Glan Laser type prisms suffer a small, unavoidable loss at the two internal calcite-air interfaces. This loss is avoided in the Brewster type by presenting the P polarized transmitted beam to these interfaces at Brewster’s angle. The result is a high power, low loss polarizer that does not need AR coating.
The user should be aware of two important considerations in the use of Brewster Polarizer (PBI polarizers). First, stringent angular acceptance requirements dictate use with collimated beams only. Second, the transmitted beam has a relatively large parallel beam displacement with respect to the incident beam.
Comparison of the four materials
| Materials | YVO4 | Calcite | a-BBO | Quartz |
| Transparency | 500-4000nm | 350-2300nm | 220-3000nm | 200-2300nm |
| Crystal Class (Uniaxial) | Positive no=na=nb,ne=nc | Negative no=na=nb,ne=nc | Negative no=na=nb,ne=nc | Positive no=na=nb,ne=nc |
| Mohs Hardness | 5 | 3 | 4.5 | 7 |
| Thermal Expansion Coefficient | aa=4.43×10-6/K ac=11.37×10-6/K | aa=24.39×10-6/K ac=5.68×10-6/K | aa=4×10-6/K ac=36×10-6/K | aa=6.2×10-6/K ac=10.7×10-6/K |
| Hygroscopic Susceptibility | Low | Low | Low | Low |