Benefits of Roof Mirror over Roof Prism
Ultrafast laser systems operating in the femtosecond regime, particularly at high pulse energies, leave very little margin for material effects inside the optical path. In this context, the choice between a solid roof prism and a roof mirror becomes architectural, not just geometric.
In many folded beam paths, delay lines, and resonators, roof prisms are used to achieve retroreflection. However, when a broadband pulse propagates through bulk glass, even a few millimeters can introduce measurable group delay dispersion. At elevated peak powers, residual absorption can also contribute to thermal loading and long-term stability concerns.
Manx Precision Optics (MPO)ββ roof mirrors remove bulk material from the beam path entirely. The air-path design delivers one-dimensional retroreflection through double reflection at a precise 90Β° dihedral angle, without introducing substrate dispersion or absorption. This provides:
- Zero bulk group delay dispersion, preserving ultrafast pulse duration
- No bulk absorption, reducing thermal lensing risk
- No chromatic aberration from transmission through glass
- Predictable 180Β° beam rotation, while maintaining image parity
For designers, the assembly can be treated as an equivalent single mirror at the roofline, enabling straightforward integration into folded geometries.
Manufactured in house at MPO using thermally stable substrates and high LIDT or low GDD coatings, with dihedral accuracy to Β±10 arcseconds and surface flatness to Ξ»/10 or better, these roof mirrors are engineered for demanding high-energy laser systems.
About Manx Precision Optics
Manx Precision Optics (MPO)ββ manufactures optical components and precision optics. The company offers customized products as well as a wide range of off-the-shelf components at highly competitive prices. The main categories of MPOβs standard productsββ are:ββ
- Laser line mirrors
- Ultrafast laser mirrors
- Roof mirrors
- Polarization optics
- Large optics
- Lenses
- Etalons
- AR-coated windows
- Uncoated optical substrates
MPO works with customers to determine the most suitable optical coatings for their specific applications. With years of experience and an intimate knowledge of thin film coatings design, MPO can produce customized, quality coatings according to unique specifications.
To request more information or a quotation for Manx Precision Optics products,Β contact IL Photonics.