Corning Celebrates Silver Anniversary of Polarcor™ Glass Polarizers

Polarcor glass is one of the essential optical elements in polarization-dependent isolators, external modulators, dynamic gain or spectrum equalizers, polarimetry systems, optical sensors, ellipsometers, shutters and many other polarization-based devices.



Manufactured using a proprietary Corning process, Polarcor glass can be used to polarize incident light, block polarized light and improve the contrast ratio of polarized light. As an absorptive polarizer, Polarcor glass protects sensitive and costly lasers from damage by stray or back-reflected light when used in optical isolators. It also improves the signal-to-noise ratio and overall optical performance of polarization-based devices and systems. Polarcor is preferred over other technologies such as wire grid and thin-film-based polarizers since its all-glass construction makes it extremely resistant to chemical, physical and thermal damage.



"This anniversary highlights our longevity and commitment to the markets we serve and is another example of Corning’s position as a true technology leader," said Mark Matthews, division vice president and business manager, Corning Specialty Materials. He continued, "The invention of Polarcor glass polarizers 25 years ago helped to change and improve the quality and performance of communication networks. Today, our Polarcor glass can be found in almost every network in the world. Beyond the telecommunications market, Polarcor glass enhances optical systems used in many other markets including military and defense, aerospace, biomedical and medical."



In conjunction with this silver anniversary announcement, Corning is further enhancing its world-leading Polarcor product offering through the introduction of improved specifications on a number of standard products. "We have and will continue to innovate and increase the value we deliver to our customers," commented Tara Dowdell, Polarcor product line manager. "Today we are notifying our customers directly of further upgrades to our products’ specifications, and we believe these improvements will provide our customers with superior performance, particularly in relation to contrast or extinction ratio."



Manufacturers of optical systems and lasers for the aerospace and defense, biomedical, medical, astronomy, semiconductor, telecommunications and sensors markets will benefit from the 25 years of experience that Corning has in manufacturing Polarcor polarizing glass. Polarcor glass’s durability and reliability are unsurpassed and backed by its solid record of no reported field failures. Polarcor glass remains the product of choice due in part to its outstanding optical performance, low scattering and its ability to be used in harsh environments and demanding applications.