Achromatic Liquid Crystal Phase Plate for Short Laser Pulses

Abstract

This work demonstrates the feasibility of reducing pulse broadening by using liquid crystal achromatic half and quarter wave plates for ultrafast pulsed lasers. Each wave plate is made of two and three liquid crystal cells stacked together. Total phase retardation and its broadening reducing of the achromatic half wave plate have been measured. The experimental results are in good agreement with theoretical calculation.