Continuously Variable Attenuator / Beamsplitter for down to 100 fs laser pulses. This variable attenuator / beamsplitter consists of 2 high-performance polarizing optics components placed in precision opto-mechanical Holder 5APH79T-1. Variable attenuator / beamsplitter incorporates a high-performance Polarizing Cube Beamsplitter which reflects s-polarized light 90 while transmitting p-polarized light.
A rotating quartz Phase λ/2 Waveplate is placed in the incident polarized laser beam. The intensity ratio of those two beams may be continuously varied without alteration of other beam parameters by rotating the waveplate. The intensity of both exit beams, and their intensity ratio, can be controlled over a wide dynamic range. Pure p-polarization could be selected for maximum transmission, or pure s-polarization for maximum attenuation of the transmitted beam.