Littrow optical prism

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Prism is optical component with special geometry, due to which is usually used to redirect laser beam or split it into component wavelengths. Is prism just a glass? Is prism a type of lens? What is a prism? Prism is not just a glass, and prisms are not a type of lens. Prism is optical component with special geometry, due to which is usually used to redirect laser beam or split it into component wavelengths. How does prism work? When laser beam light passes through a prism it bends due to refraction and can separate into components by dispersion. Prisms also reflect light internally in order to redirect the beam directions (to adjust image orientations, effectively split or combine beams). What are optical prisms used for? Optical prisms are used for manipulation of light: bending, dispersing or reflecting laser beam. This is a key component in cameras, binoculars, spectroscopes for image correction, wavelength separation and beam directing. How is a prism made? Production of all types of prisms involve several typical steps: 1. Choosing the prism material and evaluating the material properties. This is crucial step, since materials with needed optical characteristics can have bad physical parameters (e.g. be brittle). 2. Cutting, shaping and polishing of prisms. In this step prism shape is formed and it is polished to achieve required surface quality and wavefront distortion requirements. 3. Optional optical coating. Thin film coatings can be deposited or sputtered on working surfaces of the prism. 4 . Quality control. Once manufacturing is finished, the final inspection is done.