WOP, U Southampton Develop Z Polarizers

Workshop of Photonics (WOP) of Vilnius, Lithuania, has collaborated with the Optoelectronics Research Centre (ORC) at the University of Southampton in the UK to develop a direct laser writing technique for producing radial polarization converters. Called Z polarizers, the devices are applied to laser machining systems and are resistant to high-power laser radiation because of their monolithic fused silica window design. Antireflection coatings can be applied. The WOP and ORC laboratories expect to prove the advantages of Z polarizers in laser micromachining, such as decreased spot size and uniformity of light-material interaction regardless of machine direction.