Shear-plate Collimation Testers

Our Collimation Testers are lateral-shearing interferometers that can be used to examine and adjust the collimation of laser light. The testers can also be used to measure wavefront curvature and quantify divergence/convergence magnitude.

Usable in the 350-2500 nm wavelength range, each Ocean Optics Collimation Tester consists of a wedged, high-quality optical flat housed in a heavy-duty anodized aluminum frame. Testers are available with apertures ranging from 10 to 200 millimeters in diameter.

Ocean Optics Collimation Testers produce instantaneous results. To examine an optical wavefront in a collimating system, simply place a tester at ~ 45° incident to an expanded beam so that the face of the collimation tester is illuminated. The beam is reflected onto a screen placed at a right angle to the reflected beam. Two overlapping circular images bisected by the shadow of the collimation tester's reference wire will appear on the screen. Fringes -- parallel patterns of light and dark areas -- will be seen in the overlap region of the two images. To properly collimate the beam, adjust the collimating system until the fringe pattern is parallel to the shadow of the tester's reference wire.

The following table lists Ocean Optics Collimation Testers by product code, aperture size and price.

Click here to read "Testing Collimation Using Shearing Interferometry," a technical brief that discusses laser beam collimating methods using an Ocean Optics Shear-Plate Collimation Tester.