Waveplate and PBS(Polarizing Beam Splitter Cubes) High quality and Low price

[coreoptronics]

By honest, we don't have many PBS cubes in stock. We often manufacture new pbs elements according to our customers' require.

And we have lots of waveplates in stock, so the unit price is low.

We're a professional factory, if you need our products, we can provide them in 2~3 weeks. For stock waveplate, we can make the shipment immediately.

[taggalucci]

Please can someone explain the practical difference between a low order and a zero order wave plate?

[coreoptronics]

For example, 1/4L zero order waveplate is means P light and S light's phase difference is only 1/4 lambda.
But a low order waveplate is means phase difference maybe 3/4, 5/4, 7/4 lambda.

And actually phase difference depends on the thickness of Quartz Crystal.

The phase retardation tolerance of Quartz crystal is influenced by the temperature, incident angle and wavelength etc. So low order waveplate is more conveniently to be influenced by these factors. Because they are thicker than zero order waveplate. But due to this, low order waveplate is more easily to be manufactured than zero order waveplate. That's why they are cheaper.

My english is not good, so I cannot describe this in detail. But I hope you can understand.

Please can someone explain the practical difference between a low order and a zero order wave plate?

[taggalucci]

Ok, thanks for the technical explanation, and your English is fine I was hoping for more of a practical explanation, I.e. whatever difference will it make to the way we use wave plates, will I get less loss, more precision etc?

[planters]

I have been quoted $73/piece for 25mm zero order, air spaced 1/2 wave plates in a quantity of three with $60 shipping. At most, I can use two and at the least I can use one. Is anyone interested in picking up 1/3 or 2/3 of this order? The price drops only 5% for a quantity of 20 and so not a lot of need to build a huge consortium.

[Bradfo69]

I know I haven't come across sounding very complimentary in this thread and I apologize for that. I'll get the pbs sometime from a company that stocks them at a normal price - no worries. But I have one other general observation - and it doesn't "necessarily" target coreoptronics but some companies in general. Does anybody else think $60 to ship an ounce of glass is rather excessive? Shipping in general is just crazy anymore.

[planters]

Yes, I do think there is something improper in this. Within the US, I can ship a similar "payload" for a few $. So, the premium added to this process is for the shipment across the Pacific along with half of the world's commerce and then transport thru China where wages are very low and commercial processes are so cost effective that the rest of the world struggles to compete. I strongly suspect that this "shipping" cost is simply a threshold to the purchaser to modify the unit price down and make the price more attractive...at first.

[coreoptronics]

I am very sorry you said that. Core Optronics do business with good integrity. We can determine the price of our products,but could not determine the freight cost. Honestly, the cost of freight from China to the US for 1 piece of waveplate(an ounce as you said) is almost the same as the one for 100 pieces, even for 10,000 pieces. So, the quantity can average the freight.

I'm sorry that my English is not good. Maybe there are something I do not express clearly, please forgive me. We just wanna supply high quality products and service at fair price.

[coreoptronics]

You can inquire about UPS charges, the price is given by UPS company. We don't earn 1 cent on the freight.

Yes, I do think there is something improper in this. Within the US, I can ship a similar "payload" for a few $. So, the premium added to this process is for the shipment across the Pacific along with half of the world's commerce and then transport thru China where wages are very low and commercial processes are so cost effective that the rest of the world struggles to compete. I strongly suspect that this "shipping" cost is simply a threshold to the purchaser to modify the unit price down and make the price more attractive...at first.

[coreoptronics]

If you organise a group buy(minimum order quantity is 100 pieces),the unit price will be cut 20% off. And the shipping is also $60.

I have been quoted $73/piece for 25mm zero order, air spaced 1/2 wave plates in a quantity of three with $60 shipping. At most, I can use two and at the least I can use one. Is anyone interested in picking up 1/3 or 2/3 of this order? The price drops only 5% for a quantity of 20 and so not a lot of need to build a huge consortium.