Polarizing Beamsplitter (PBS) Cubes for Low-Medium Energy Applications
Polarizing Beamsplitter (PBS) Cubes for low or medium energy applications. Extinction ratio >500:1. Rs>99.5%; Tp>95%; Medium energy - low cost polarizers.
Estimated Shipping Date: January 27, 2026 - February 10, 2026
* - Shopping cart pricing is based on the most recent pricing and it is NOT ORDERING, but requesting an official quotation which should typically reach You within 1-2 business days.
- Variants
- Description
- Applications
- Characteristics
- FAQ
Available Product Variants
Polarizing Beamsplitter (PBS) Cubes: key function and production
How standard PBS cubes differ from other PBS cubes?
Standard polarizing beamsplitter (PBS) main function is to separate low or medium energy laser beam into S and P polarizations by transmitting P-pol. and reflecting S-pol.
How standard polarizing beamsplitter (PBS) cubes are made ?
Alien Photonics standard PBS cubes are made by gluing two right-angle prisms using high quality optical glue. One prism is coated with polarizing beamsplitter coating on its hypotenuse. This construction, however, makes them vulnerable to high energy laser pulses. To learn more about effects of glue, we recommend reading our article "glue or optical contact?" .
Standard Polarizing Beamsplitter (PBS) Cubes - Applications
Standard glued PBS cubes are best suited for optical setups requiring low cost, but still good polarization separation.
Microscopes - contrast enhancement
PBS cubes in advanced microscopy setups separate light into polarized components to enhance contrast and detail of biological sample images.
Polarization control of medium power lasers
Alien Photonics PBS cubes for medium energy laser systems used to split or combine laser beams based on polarization.
Low-power DPSS laser modules - stable polarization separation
Alien Photonics glued PBS cubes are the economical choice in milliwatt (1-100 mW) power range.
Imaging and machine vision systems - glare reduction
Used in NIR and visible imaging systems for polarization contrast or glare reduction. Power levels are typically very low.
LED and illumination systems
Effective for polarization cleanup in LED-based illumination modules lighting paths where optical power is extremely low.
Prototype and early-stage R&D builds - where functionality is needed at minimal cost
Suitable for initial design stages where functionality is needed at minimal cost. Standard PBS could be a “good-enough” solution for prototype, before final system optimization
Reference beam routing and diagnostics - inexpensive beam redirection
Good for splitting or redirecting low-power beams in monitoring channels, where high-performance is not needed.
Alternative components for standard PBS cube
Replace several standard PBS cubes with one
Glued broadband PBS cubes can be used to replace several standard PBS cubes. Great substitute if you are in early development stages. Bonded PBS cubes can replace glued PBS in basically all applications, but they are more expensive.
TFP plates - when you don't mind angle tuning
45-deg TFP plate or Brewster’s type TFP plate might be more expensive alternatives, but very good replacement options if you do not mind adjusting and fine-tuning the angle. More about differences in our article: PBS or TFP?
Combine by wavelength, not polarization
Alien Photonics comparison: PBS and Dichroic mirror weights pros and cons of PBS cubes and Dichroic Beam Combiner.
Standard Glued PBS Cubes - Technical specifications, Product Details
If you can’t find product parameter in variants table, that parameter is probably here. Alien Photonics offers custom glued PBS cubes - just let us know.
Substrate specifications - polishing quality, flatness, others
| Parameter | Standard Components | Custom Components |
|---|---|---|
| Substrate material | N-BK7 or eq. | Various Materials |
| Angle of Incidence (AOI) | 0° | 0° |
| Flatness | λ/8~ λ/4 @ 632.8 nm | Up to <λ/10 (depending on size) |
| Surface quality | 20-10 S-D or 40-20 S-D | depending on size, acc. to MIL-PRF-13830B) |
| Beam deviation | <3 arcmin | Custom |
| Dimension tolerances | ±0.1 mm | Custom |
| Chamfers (bevels) | 0.10-0.25 mm x 45° | Custom |
Coating Characteristics - Extinction Ratio, Reflection, LIDT, others
| Coating Characteristics | Standard Coating | Custom Coating |
|---|---|---|
| Clear Aperture | >85% | Custom aperture |
| Extinction Ratio (Tp/Ts) | >500:1 | Custom values available |
| Laser Induced Damage Threshold (LIDT) | 0.3 J/cm² @ 1064 nm, 10 ns, 10 Hz | Limited by Glue |
| Polarization | Rs>99.5%;Tp>97% | Custom values available |
| AR Coating durability | acc. to MIL-C-675C | Acc. to custom requirements |
Quality certificates: COC, RoHS, Conflict Minerals, others
| Certificates | Availability |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Conformance (COC) | Yes. Available upon request. |
| RoHS | Yes. Available upon request. |
| Conflict minerals | Yes. Available upon request. |
| Other certificates | If Available |
Can't find a parameter - contact us by sending an email or filling a form.
Frequently Asked Questions - Price, Specifications & Delivery Time
What is the price of glued standard PBS cube?
Standard PBS price is about 100 € when producing optimal batch. Smaller cubes can cost less.
What is the minimal order quantity (MOQ)?
Alien Photonics does not have minimal order quantity for standard PBS cubes.
How fast can you deliver standard PBS cube?
If in stock - we can ship next day. Production could take 2-8 weeks. Very custom options might take 12 weeks.
What is LIDT of glued standard PBS?
LIDT >0.3 J/cm² @ 1064 nm, 10 ns, 10 Hz. Limited by Glue.
Are these cubes glued or optically contacted?
Alien Photonics standard low energy cubes are glued using special optical glue.
Can you offer premium quality broadband PBS cubes?
Yes, we can offer 10-5 scratch-dig and <λ/10 @ 632.8 nm prisms for cubes, however due to effects of glue, the wavefront distortion increases.