Optical Prism Application Examples

Dec. 30, 2024

Optical Prism Application Examples

The angle, position, and number of surfaces of a prism help define the type and function. To understand how the most popular prisms work and how each can best be used in light reflection and refraction applications, consider right angle prisms, roof prisms, and combination prisms. For the theory of how prisms work and a selection guide with over ten unique geometries, view Introduction to Optical Prisms.

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Right Angle Prism

By far the most commonly used prism is the 45° - 90° - 45° prism, known popularly as the right angle prism. It can be used in many ways to achieve different results pertaining to image parity or deviation and is named so for the angles on its triangular faces. The most common application of the 45° - 90° - 45° prism is to treat it as a right angle prism, which has only a single reflection that deviates the incident ray by 90°. The produced image will then become left-handed, but depending upon the position of the prism, can be inverted or reverted (Figure 1).

Figure 1: 45° - 90° - 45° as a Right Angle Prism Showing Inversion (Left) and Reversion (Right)

Using the hypotenuse face of the prism rather than the leg faces allows for another configuration known as the porro prism. This produces a right-handed image since two reflections occur. The ray's direction is reversed when using a porro prism since the object enters and the image exits the same face. The position of the prism determines whether a rotation or just a deviation occurs (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Fixed 180° Rotation with a Porro System

Lastly, a 45° - 90° - 45° prism can also be used as a dove prism. A dove prism rotates the image 180°, but since only one reflection occurs, it will become either reverted or inverted depending on the position of the prism (Figure 3).

Figure 3: 180° Rotation with a Right Angle Prism, Similar to a Dove Prism

Roof Prism

A prism roof consists of two reflecting surfaces located 90° from each other. It is equivalent in function when compared to any other reflecting surface, except handedness does not change. A good example of this is the amici (roof) prism, which is basically a right angle prism with a roof. Under this configuration, a deviation of 90° still occurs, but without changing parity. A roof prism is often used in conjunction with other prisms in order to achieve the desired parity.

Combination Prisms

Many combination prisms are possible with slight adjustments to the orientation and/or coating applied to the surfaces of the individual prisms used. Ultimately, the application dictates the type of combination necessary. Consider the most well-known combination prisms: porro system, Pechan (roof) prism, and beamsplitters.

A porro prism is often used in combination with itself to create a porro system (Figure 4) with a total of four reflections. Due to its ability to produce an upside down image rotated 180° from the original while maintaining right-handedness, this type of image erection prism is extremely useful for binocular and telescope applications. It is important to keep in mind that the ray path does become displaced, a fact that must be taken into account when adjusting the rest of the optical components used with a porro system, such as an objective lens and eyepiece for binoculars.

Figure 4: Fixed 180° Rotation with a Porro System

Another type of image erection prism is the Pechan (roof) prism (Figure 5) comprised of a Schmidt prism and a half-penta prism. It carries six total reflections and a small air gap to allow for TIR inside the prism system. The even number of reflections enables the image to stay right-handed. No displacement is produced along the object's axis if aligned precisely, though the image is inverted.

Figure 5: 180° Rotation with a Pechan-Roof Prism

Lastly, but possibly the most recognizable combination prism, is a cube beamsplitter (Figure 6). Unlike a plate beamspitter (often a plano-window with dielectric and anti-reflection (AR) coatings), a cube beamsplitter is comprised of two right angle prisms. Typically, the two prisms are adhered together, but optical contacted beamsplitters exist as well. In order to "split" the incident beam, a dielectric coating is applied to the hypotenuse of one of the right angle prisms. This coating reflects a portion of the beam in one direction, and allows the other to be transmitted through the entire cube. The type of coating determines whether this split is 50/50, 30/70, or 70/30, as well as the specific wavelengths and/or polarizations that are transmitted or reflected. As a result of the precise alignment required by a skilled optician to adhere or contact the two hypotenuses together, it is better to purchase a complete beamsplitter assembly rather than try to use two identical right angle prisms.

Figure 6: Cube Beamsplitter

Edmund Optics manufactures prisms in a range of geometries for simple dispersion to complex, multi optical element applications. Understanding the optical theories behind each specific geometry helps one select the best prism or combination of prisms for any application.

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Classification of optical prisms - Apexel Optic

Prism: A transparent object surrounded by two intersecting but not parallel planes, used to split or disperse light beams. A prism is a polyhedron made of transparent materials such as glass and crystal. It is widely used in optical instruments and is an important optical element. Next, let&#;s learn the classification of optical prisms.

1. Polarization splitter prism

The polarization splitter prism can polarize the incident unpolarized light into two vertical beams. Where the P-polarized light passes through completely, while the S-polarized light is reflected at a 45-degree Angle, and the exit direction is 90 degrees with the Plight. The polarization-splitting prism is composed of a pair of high-precision right Angle prisms, one of which is coated with a polarization-splitting medium film on the hypotenuse.

Base materials: optical glass, ultraviolet fused quartz (JGS1), infrared fused quartz (JGS3), calcium fluoride (CaF2), magnesium fluoride (MgF2), barium fluoride (BaF2), zinc selenide (ZnSe), germanium (Ge), silicon (Si) and other crystal materials.

Dimensional tolerance: ±0.03/0.10mm

Angle tolerance: ±3&#;-8&#;

Parallel difference: ±5-30 &#;

Surface quality: 60/40 40/20

Surface accuracy: N=0.5-2

Local: H = 0.2 to 0.5

Extinction ratio: single wavelength > 500:1, > :1 broadband > 300-:1

Pass and reflection parameters: Tp> 95,Ts< 1,Rs> 99,Rp< 5

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40 Effective caliber: 90

2. Right Angle Prism

Rectangular prisms are usually used to turn optical paths or to deflect images created by optical systems by 90°. Depending on the orientation of the prism, the image can be left and right and upside down and right and left and right. Rectangular prisms can also be used for image combination, beam migration, and other applications.

When rectangular prisms are used, some optical films are usually plated. Rectangular prisms themselves have a large contact area and typical angles such as 45° and 90°, so compared with ordinary mirrors, rectangular prisms are easier to install and have better stability and strength against mechanical stress. They are the best choice of optical components for all kinds of devices and instruments.

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40 Effective caliber: 90

Plating film: anti-reflection, reflective film

3. Triangular Prism

A triangular prism is an optically transparent body with a triangular cross-section. It is an optical instrument with a triangular cross-section made of transparent materials. It is a kind of dispersion prism, which can make the complex light disperse when passing through the prism.

Since the same medium has a different refractive index to various monochromatic lights, the deflection Angle of each monochromatic light will be different according to the law of refraction. Therefore, white light through the prism will separate each single color light, forming red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple seven colors, namely dispersion.

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40

Effective caliber: 90

4. Equilateral prism

An equilateral dispersion prism divides a beam of light into different colors and is used in spectroscopic experiments and instruments. When a beam of light strikes the first side at an oblique Angle, because the refractive index of the glass is related to the wavelength, the different colors of the light are refracted at different angles, so that a spectrum appears on the other side.

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The maximum dispersion and minimum reflection loss can be achieved when the top Angle is 60°. The higher the dispersion ability or the smaller the Abbe number, the greater the role dispersion.

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40

Effective caliber: 90

5. Dawei Prism

The Dowell prism is a kind of spinner. When light passes through this prism, the image is reversed 180 degrees. In addition, when the prism is rotated on its optical axis, the rotation Angle of the image is twice the rotation Angle of the prism. Generally speaking, the Dawei prism uses the critical Angle principle to achieve internal total reflection, so its field of view is limited. At the same time, it is important to keep the reflective surface clean and use parallel light.

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40

Effective caliber: 90

6. Pentagon prism

The pentagon prism is one of the 90° (fixed Angle) beam steering devices. It serves two purposes. One is that the outgoing light redirects the incoming light at an Angle (90°), regardless of the incidence Angle on the first side. The second is that, unlike a rectangular prism, the resulting image is neither rotated nor specular. Pentaprisms are commonly used in camera viewfinders, image-viewing systems, or measuring instruments.

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40

Effective caliber: 90

7. Roof prism

Two mutually perpendicular reflecting surfaces are called ridge surfaces, and a prism with ridge surfaces is called a ridge prism.

Because of their small size and their ability to align the objective and eyepiece, ridge prisms are often used in extremely compact binoculars. Under the condition that the direction of the optical axis and the imaging direction in the main section is not changed, one reflection is added to make the total number of reflections of the system change from odd to even, so as to achieve the requirement of the similarity of the object image.

The key to ridge prism is the existence of the ridge surface. The so-called ridge surface is a ridge-shaped reflecting surface sandwiched by two reflecting surfaces in the optical path. The edges of the two surfaces are in the middle of the optical path, so some ridge prisms can see that there is a dividing line in the middle.

When two mirrors are formed at a right Angle, a roof surface is formed. The most commonly used prism principle of Beehan requires six reflections. There is a corresponding abbe prism commonly used in modern Zeiss telescopes, also a roof prism, slightly longer, but only four reflections, and does not require reflective coating, so the efficiency is higher than the Beehan prism and about the same as the ordinary Paul prism.

Overall size: 4mm-100mm

Angle deviation: 30 seconds 3 minutes

Surface accuracy: λ/101λ

Surface quality: 60/40

Effective caliber: 90

8. Corner cone prism (Paul prism) :

Paul&#;s prism, also known as the Promo prism, is a refraction prism used in optical instruments to modify the orientation of the image. Light enters from the largest rectangular plane of the prism, passes through two full reflections of the inclined plane, and then emits through the original plane of incidence. Because light just enters and exits normally, the prism does not have the effect of dispersion. But the image through the Paul prism will be flipped 180 degrees and will travel in the original direction of entry, that is, the direction of travel will also be changed 180 degrees. But because the image is reflected twice, the handedness doesn&#;t change.

Paul prisms are most commonly used in pairs as a combination of two Paul prisms, with the second prism, rotated 90° relative to the first. The net effect of the prism system is that the direction of the incoming light is changed parallel, the image is rotated 180°, and the handedness remains unchanged.

Product appearance: corner cone prism

Material: K9 or quartz

Overall size: 10mm-60mm

Optical aperture:> 90

Overall dimension tolerance: ±0.15

Beam deflection Angle: 180°

Angle tolerance: ±5 &#;; Comprehensive Angle difference

Wavefront distortion: λ/4

Finish: Level 2

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