Polarizer Selection Guide

Thorlabs offers a diverse range of polarizers, including wire grid, film, calcite, alpha-BBO, rutile, and beamsplitting polarizers. Collectively, our line of wire grid polarizers offers coverage from the visible range to the beginning of the Far-IR range. Our nanoparticle linear film polarizers provide extinction ratios as high as 100 000:1. Alternatively, our other film polarizers offer an affordable solution for polarizing light from the visible to the Near-IR. Next, our beamsplitting polarizers allow for use of the reflected beam, as well as the more completely polarized transmitted beam. Finally, our alpha-BBO (UV), calcite (visible to Near-IR), rutile (Near-IR to Mid-IR), and yttrium orthovanadate (YVO₄) (Near-IR to Mid-IR) polarizers each offer an exceptional extinction ratio of 100 000:1 within their respective wavelength ranges. 

To explore the available types, wavelength ranges, extinction ratios, transmission, and available sizes for each polarizer category, click More [+] in the appropriate row below.

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Wire Grid Polarizers on Glass Substrates	420 nm - 700 nm	>800:1 (Avg. Over Wavelength Range)		12.5 mm x 12.5 mm, Ø25.0 mmb, 25.0 mm x 25.0 mm, and 50.0 mm x 50.0 mm
	250 nm - 4 µm	>10:1 from 250 nm - 4 µm >100:1 from 300 nm - 4 µm >1000:1 from 600 nm - 4 µm >10 000:1 from 2.25 µm - 4 µm		12.5 mm x 12.5 mm, Ø25.0 mmb, 25.0 mm x 25.0 mm, and 50.0 mm x 50.0 mm
Wire Grid Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes (Unmounted, 16 mm Cage Cube, or 30 mm Cage Cube)	400 nm - 700 nm	>1 000:1 (AOI: 0° - 5°) >100:1 (AOI: 0° - 25°)	P-Pol. S-Pol.	20 mm and 1"f
Holographic Wire Grid Polarizers	2 µm - 12 µm	150:1 at 3 µm 300:1 at 10 µm		Ø25.0 mmb and Ø50.0 mmb
	2 µm - 9 µm	150:1 at 3 µm 300:1 at 8 µm
	2 µm - 30 µm	150:1 at 3 µm 300:1 at 15 µm
	2 µm - 18 µm	150:1 at 3 µm 300:1 at 10 µm
MIR Wire Grid Polarizers on Silicon Substrates	3 µm - 5 µm	>1000:1		12.5 mm x 12.5 mmb, Ø25.0 mmb, 25.0 mm x 25.0 mmb, and 50.0 mm x 50.0 mmb
	7 µm - 15 µm	>10,000:1		12.5 mm x 12.5 mmb, Ø25.0 mmb, 25.0 mm x 25.0 mmb, and 50.0 mm x 50.0 mmb

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Nanoparticle Linear Film Polarizers	365 nm - 395 nm	>1000:1 from 365 nm - 395 nm >10 000:1 from 369 nm - 390 nm >100 000:1 from 372 nm - 388 nm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
	480 nm - 550 nm	>10 000:1 from 480 nm - 550 nm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
	510 nm - 800 nm	>1000:1 from 510 nm - 800 nm >10 000:1 from 520 - 740 nm >100 000:1 from 530 - 640 nm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
	550 nm - 1500 nm	>10 000:1 from 550 nm - 1500 nm >100 000:1 from 600 nm - 1200 nm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
	650 nm - 1100 nm	>200:1 from 650 nm - 695 nm >1000:1 from 695 nm - 1100 nm		Ø1/2"c and Ø1"d
	650 nm - 2000 nm	>1000:1 from 650 nm - 2000 nm >10 000:1 from 750 nm - 1800 nm >100 000:1 from 850 nm - 1600 nm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
	1 µm - 3 µm	>1000:1 from 1 µm - 3 µm >10,000:1 from 1.2 µm - 3 µm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
	1.1 µm - 1.8 µm	>1000:1 from 1.1 µm - 1.8 µm		Ø1/2"c and Ø1"d
	1.5 µm - 5 µm	>1000:1 from 1.5 µm - 5 µm >10 000:1 from 2 µm - 4.5 µm		Ø12.5 mmc and Ø25.0 mmd
Economy Film Polarizers	400 nm - 700 nm	>100:1 from 400 nm - 500 nm >1000:1 from 500 nm - 700 nm >5000:1 from 530 nm - 690 nm		2" x 2"
	600 nm - 1100 nm	>400:1 from 600 nm - 1100 nm >1000:1 from 600 nm - 940 nm		2" x 2"
Economy Laminated Film Polarizers	400 nm - 700 nm	>100:1 from 400 nm - 500 nm >1000:1 from 500 nm - 700 nm >5000:1 from 530 nm - 690 nm		Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2"
	600 nm - 1100 nm	>1000:1 from 600 nm - 950 nm >400:1 from 600 nm - 1100 nm		Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2"
	1050 nm - 1700 nm	>1000:1 from 1050 - 1400 nm >2000:1 from 1400 - 1700 nm		Ø1/2", Ø1", and Ø2"

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Polarizing Plate Beamsplitters	405 nm	>10 000:1		Ø1" and 25 mm x 36 mm
	532 nm
	633 nm
	780 nm
	808 nm
	1030 nm
	1064 nm
	1310 nm
	1550 nm
Polarizing Bandpass Filters	355 nm +6 nm / -9 nm	1 000 000:1		25.2 mm x 35.6 mm
Broadband Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes (Unmounted, 16 mm Cage Cube, or 30 mm Cage Cube)	420 nm - 680 nm	1000:1e		5 mm, 10 mm, 1/2", 20 mmf, 1"f, and 2"
	620 nm - 1000 nm
	900 nm - 1300 nm
	1200 nm - 1600 nm
Wire Grid Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes (Unmounted, 16 mm Cage Cube, or 30 mm Cage Cube)	400 nm - 700 nm	>1 000:1 (AOI: 0° - 5°) >100:1 (AOI: 0° - 25°)	P-Pol. S-Pol.	10 mm, 20 mmf, and 1"f
Laser-Line Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes (Unmounted or 30 mm Cage Cube)	532 nm	3000:1		10 mm, 1/2", 1"f
	633 nm
	780 nm
	980 nm			1"f
	1064 nm			10 mm, 1/2", 1"f
	1550 nm
High-Power Laser-Line Polarizing Beamsplitter Cubes (Unmounted or 30 mm Cage Cube)	355 nm	2000:1		1/2" and 1"f
	405 nm
	532 nm
	633 nm
	780 - 808 nm
	1064 nm
Calcite Beam Displacers	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)	-		10 mmb (Clear Aperture, Square)
Yttrium Orthovanadate (YVO4) Beam Displacers	488 nm - 3.4 µm (Uncoated)	-		>3 mm x 5 mm Ellipseh (Clear Aperture)
	2000 nm (V Coated)

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
alpha-BBO Glan-Laser Polarizers	210 nm - 450 nm	100 000:1		5 mmb and 10 mmb (Clear Aperture, Square)
	220 nm - 370 nm
	405 nm
Wollaston Prism Polarizers	190 nm - 3500 nm			Ø10 mmb (Clear Aperture)

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona,h	Available Sizes
Glan-Laser Calcite Polarizers	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)	100 000:1		5 mmb, 10 mmj, and 15 mmb (Clear Aperture, Square)
	350 nmg - 700 nm (A Coated)
	650 nm - 1050 nm (B Coated)
	1050 nm - 1700 nm (C Coated)
	1064 nm (V Coated)j
Glan-Taylor Calcite Polarizers	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)			5 mmb, 10 mmb, and 15 mmb (Clear Aperture, Square)
	350 nmg - 700 nm (A Coated)
	650 nm - 1050 nm (B Coated)
	1050 nm - 1700 nm (C Coated)
Glan-Thompson Calcite Polarizers (Unmounted or Mounted)	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)			5 mmk and 10 mmk (Clear Aperture, Square)
	350 nmg - 700 nm (A Coated)
	650 nm - 1050 nm (B Coated)
Double Glan-Taylor Calcite Polarizers	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)			9 mmb (Clear Aperture, Square)
Beam Displacers	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)			10 mmb (Clear Aperture, Square)
Wollaston Prism Polarizers	350 nmg - 2.3 µm (Uncoated)			Ø10 mmk (Clear Aperture)
	350 nmg - 700 nm (A Coated)
	650 nm - 1050 nm (B Coated)

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Wollaston Prism Polarizers	400 nm - 2000 nm	10 000:1		Ø10 mmb (Clear Aperture)

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Wollaston Prism Polarizers	200 nm - 6.0 µm	10 000:1		Ø10 mmb (Clear Aperture)
Rochon Prism Polarizers				10 mm x 10 mm (Clear Aperture)

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Beam Displacers	488 nm - 3.4 µm (Uncoated) 2000 nm (V Coated)	100 000:1		>3 mm x 5 mm (Clear Aperture, Ellipse)
Wollaston Prism Polarizers	900 nm - 3.24 µm			Ø10 mmb (Clear Aperture)
Rochon Prism Polarizers	488 nm - 3.4 µm			10 mm x 10 mmb (Clear Aperture)

Polarizer Type	Wavelength Range	Extinction Ratio	Transmissiona	Available Sizes
Rutile TiO2 Polarizers	2.2 µm - 4 µm	100 000:1		9.1 mm x 9.5 mm x 9.5 mmb and 10.7 mm x 15.9 mm x 15.9 mmb

• Click on the graph icons in this column to view a transmission curve for the corresponding polarizer. Each curve represents one substrate sample or coating run and is not guaranteed.
• Mounted in a protective box, unthreaded ring, or cylinder.
• Available unmounted or in an SM05-threaded (0.535"-40) mount that indicates the polarization axis.
• Available unmounted or in an SM1-threaded (1.035"-40) mount that indicates the polarization axis.
• PBS519: Average T_P:T_S > 1000:1
• Available unmounted or mounted in cubes for cage system compatibility.
• Calcite's transmittance of light near 350 nm is typically around 75% (see Transmission column).
• Available unmounted or in an unthreaded Ø1/2" housing.
• The transmission curves for calcite are valid for linearly polarized light with a polarization axis aligned with the mark on the polarizer's housing.
• The 1064 nm V coating corresponds to a -C26 suffix in the item number.
• Available unmounted or mounted in a protective box or unthreaded cylinder that indicates the polarization axis.