Common Types of Retardation Plates
Type	Features
Multiple-Order Quartz	Good for single wavelength use.
Zero-Order Quartz	Broad wavelength and angular field-of-view.
Compound Zero-Order Quartz	Zero-order properties in a narrow field-of- view.
Achromatic (typically, Quartz/MgF2)	Low sensitivity to wavelength change.

INRAD manufactures Custom retardation plates according to your print.

Quartz Retardation Plates (or Waveplates) are Custom Optics that are manufactured in high volume at INRAD to exacting specifications.

Standard tolerances for retardation plates.
Retardation tolerance: Corresponding to ±0.4 µm of quartz, typically ± l/300 @ l = 1064 nm
Surface Quality: 20-10 Scratch-Dig
AR Coating: For all wavelengths

Multiple-Order waveplates are manufactured from a single plate of a birefringent material. They provide an effective way to alter the polarization of laser beams.

Zero-order waveplates, typically being tens of microns thick, are used in the same way as multiple-order plates, but the retardance is much less dependent on variations in wavelength, temperature, and angular field-of-view.

Compound (zero-order) retardation plates are made to the same tolerance as multiple order plates, but have the on-axis performance of true zero-order plates. They are fabricated from two standard waveplates, whose thickness difference yields the desired retardation.

Achromatic waveplates are similar to the compound (zero-order) waveplates except that the two plates are made from different materials. Since the dispersion of the birefringence can be different for the two materials, it is possible to specify retardation values at two separate wavelengths. Hence, the retardation of the resulting waveplate can be made to vary slowly as a function of wavelength. The temperature variation of the birefringence for both materials is an important design factor for achromatic waveplates if they are used over a temperature range.

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