Claude L. Davis

Waveplates from stretched glass

The properties of zero-order retardation plates fabricated from mechanically stretched phase- separated glass are presented and discussed. The dissolved stretched phase is silver halide. The values of the birefringence as a result of the elongated silver halide phase are studied as a function of the average particle aspect ratio and wavelength. The (lambda) /4 and (lambda) /2 thicknesses required for the wavelength interval 633 - 1520 nm were 0.5 - 3.0 mm. Advantages in the use of these glass waveplates in devices such as circular polarizers are discussed.