I have an argon ion laser (cw) with wavelengths from 457-647 nm. Initially they are all together but I am interested in picking up the 488 nm line and mantein its spot size. I have seen there are many kind of prisms and as I am pretty new in this area I would like if anyone could give me any advice.
Many thanks for your help.
I have seen this pair in Thorlabs but it says it is for ultrafast lasers and with a spectral range in between 700 and 900 nm. So I do not know if this would work or there is another better/more convenient option.
https://www.thorlabs.de/NewGroupPage9.cfm?ObjectGroup_ID=3242
You don't need a pair, a single prism is sufficient. The linewidth of the 488 nm is so small that the beam won't diverge (i.e. have any appreciable angular dispersion) after the prism. Look around in your lab, the first prism you find that is transparent, will work. Otherwise, use the cheapest BK7 prism from Thorlabs.
Hello Yurema Teijeiro Gonzalez,
I suggest to use interference filter at 488 nm.
Hello Yurema Teijeiro Gonzalez,
You can use any good prism for this work. However, you should use a transparent prism with high refraction index, for example: Quarzt glass prism (Si68 prism) because the dispersion of refraction angulars depend on refraction index of prism and energy of incidence wavelength. Although the different lines from 457 to 647 nm can be splitted by prism with small dispersion angulars you can be selected also each line (ex: 488 line) by a small hole in diaphragm but is sited at the site with large distance from prism (about 5m or more). Besides, You should read the manuals book for your laser, you will see some parts, which guides how to separate and select each characteristics wavelength from polychomatic beam of laser.
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