Adjustable Mirror Mount Kit, Optical Delay Line

The 9848-KT Optical Delay Line Mirror Mount is an easy-to-use, versatile fixture for creating an optical delay line. It has two orthogonal surfaces for mounting standard mirrors, allowing an input optical beam to be reflected back, parallel to itself. This low-cost mount simplifies the assembly of an optical delay line by virtually eliminating the time-consuming task of mirror alignment, owing to the precision orthogonal surfaces (30 arc sec. identifiable by the hatched pattern). Notwithstanding, the 9848-KT is a significantly less expensive alternative to the wavelength-bound retroreflector. Retroreflectors exist typically as solid glass (prohibitive for most delay lines) or with metallic coating, which have substantial losses. A key advantage of this mount is that you can use any mirror coating, including dielectric. It is versatile because it holds various sizes, shapes and thicknesses of mirrors and allows variable spacing between the input and output beams up to 2 in. (50 mm). Guide lines set at 0.5 in. (12.7 mm) increments are provided to assist in setting beam spacing. The 9848 can be mounted directly to a translation stage via a centralized hole counterbored for 1/4-20 (M6) cap head screws or pedestal-post mounted on a SR- or PS-series post.

Optical Delay Line Function

An optical delay line is used for applications where the delay in the time domain between two or more light-pulses needs to be varied by increments in the femtosecond (fs) to nanosecond (ns) regime. The difference in path length between two beams divided by the speed of light gives the actual time delay.  Note that three 9848 delay line mirror mounts are used to make the delay line shown in the photo.

9848-KT: Adjustable & Easy to Assemble

The 9848-KT Optical Delay Line Mirror Mount is a kit of parts including the 9848 fixed delay line mirror mount and an adjustable kinematic platform mount.  The separate parts can be assembled quickly with standard lab tools.