Waveplate Retardation Calculator

Design waveplate thickness for a target retardation, or calculate retardation at any wavelength for a given thickness.

Input
Design Results
Birefringence Δn at 632.8 nm
0.01334
Total retardation
0.25000waves
Required thickness
11.863µm
Required thickness
0.01186mm

Impractically thin for free-standing crystal — use thin-film or cemented design

Abridged Optics — Waveplate Retardation Calculator v1.0Birefringence uses Cauchy-type dispersion models. Verify critical designs against measured data.

All information, equations, and calculations have been compiled and verified to the best of our ability. For mission-critical applications, we recommend independent verification of all values. If you find an error, please let us know.