Bolder Vision Optik, Inc.
Technical Polarization
303.440.3327
[email protected]
www.boldervision.com

Precision Polarization Control Components — Product Index

Bolder Vision Optik (BVO) designs, develops, and manufactures precision polarization control components for OEM equipment manufacturers worldwide. Operating from Boulder, Colorado since 1994, BVO offers the broadest wavelength coverage available from a single polarization specialist — UV (320 nm) through SWIR (1700 nm) — with 10–25 micron precision cutting, rapid prototyping, and volume OEM production in the same facility.
30+
Years manufacturing
320–1700
nm wavelength span
10–25 µm
Cutting precision
27
Products & variants

Linear Polarizers

UV

BVO UV 320–760 nm Cost-competitive UV absorptive polarizer. Ideal for UV fluorescence, microplate readers, and inspection systems.
BVO UV DS 365–450 nm Dyestuff UV polarizer with high damage threshold. Purpose-built for LCD/DLP 3D printer light engines.

Visible

BVO UHC 400–700 nm 42% transmission, high contrast visible polarizer. 135 µm thin. Standard TFT display and imaging applications.
BVO VIS DS 410–675 nm Rugged dyestuff visible polarizer. High temperature tolerance, resistant to blue LED energy flux.
BVO 244 400–700 nm 45% ultra-transmission visible polarizer. Multi-stage optical systems requiring minimum insertion loss.
BVO 38 420–760 nm Legacy HN38 Polaroid replacement. 38% T, 2,500:1 contrast. Extended visible range to 760 nm. Supports legacy optical drawings.

NIR — Broadband Near Infrared Family (400–1065 nm)

BVO NIR Family 400–1065 nm Overview of all four BVO NIR variants. Purely absorptive — no wire grid, no back-reflection. See individual pages for full specs.
BVO NIR Ultra New 400–1000 nm Maximum performance broadband NIR. 20,000:1 visible / 7,000:1 NIR. Imaging capable. Wire grid direct replacement. A4 format.
BVO NIR HD New 400–1000 nm High durability NIR. 20,000:1 visible / 5,000:1 NIR. Resists LED burn-in. Operates −20°C to 95°C. Large format in development.
BVO NIR DS2 New 550–1065 nm Highest contrast NIR available. 28,000:1 nominal. Peak >45,000:1 at 900 nm. Machine vision, plastics sorting, ultra-contrast cameras.
BVO NIR 4ST New NIR hybrid Hybrid broadband NIR linear polarizer. Contact BVO for full specifications and availability.

IR / SWIR / Wire Grid — Extended Infrared

BVO IR 700–1700 nm Absorptive NIR/IR dichroic polarizer. NIR imaging, LED light sources, solid state detectors, IR cameras.
BVO SWIR New SWIR Short-wave infrared absorptive linear polarizer. SWIR imaging and sensing. Contact BVO for full specifications.
BVO Wire Grid 400–1600 nm Reflective hybrid wire grid polarizer. 80 µm thin. 0° and 45° AOI. Beamsplitter capable. High contrast and imaging capable.
BVO 1000 400–1600 nm Ultra-broadband hybrid polarizer. Single element covers full visible and NIR — eliminates multiple polarizers in broadband systems.

Achromatic Waveplates

AQWP2 400–625 nm Achromatic quarter-wave retarder, visible compact range. True zero-order polymer construction.
AQWP3 425–750 nm Achromatic quarter-wave retarder, visible broadband. AR/VR optics, circular polarization, Stokes polarimetry.
AQWP6 700–1100 nm Achromatic quarter-wave retarder, NIR. Laser systems, NIR cameras, fiber optic polarization control.
AHWP3 425–750 nm Achromatic half-wave retarder, visible broadband. Polarization rotation, beam steering, interferometry.
AHWP6 600–1100 nm Achromatic half-wave retarder, NIR. AR/VR NIR optics, NIR laser polarization rotation.

Liquid Crystal Devices

ECB Nematic Visible / NIR Electrically controlled birefringence. Voltage-tunable retardance. Variable waveplate, polarization modulator.
PI-Cell Shutter Visible / NIR Fast-switching pi-cell optical shutter. Lower switching voltage than TN, fast response for high-speed modulation.
Twisted Nematic Visible Classic 90° twisted nematic LC mode. Low-voltage switching, widely adopted in display and shutter applications.
VA Mode Nematic Visible / NIR Vertical alignment mode LC. Excellent dark state, high contrast ratio, suitable for precision polarization switching.

Application Guide — Which BVO Product?

NIR biometric imaging / fundus cameras → BVO NIR Ultra — imaging capable, 20,000:1 visible contrast, absorptive
Machine vision glare reduction → BVO NIR HD or NIR DS2 — LED burn resistance, ultra-high contrast
Plastics sorting / recycling NIR → BVO NIR DS2 — >45,000:1 contrast at 900 nm, absorptive, no stray light
Wire grid polarizer replacement → BVO NIR Ultra — absorptive, no back-reflection, lower cost, large format
AR / VR optical stacks → AQWP3 / AHWP3 waveplates + BVO UHC polarizer — achromatic visible coverage
3D printer LCD light engines → BVO UV DS — dyestuff, high damage threshold at 365–450 nm
SWIR / InGaAs camera polarization → BVO SWIR — absorptive SWIR polarizer, contact BVO for specifications
Broadband VIS + NIR single element → BVO 1000 — 400–1600 nm, eliminates multiple polarizers in one component
UV fluorescence polarization (FP) → BVO UV — 320–760 nm, cost-effective, microplate reader qualified
Legacy HN38 Polaroid replacement → BVO 38 — drop-in replacement, 420–760 nm, same 38% T specification
High-intensity LED illumination → BVO NIR HD — resists burn-in, large panel format in development
Variable retardance / polarization modulation → ECB Nematic or PI-Cell — voltage-tunable, prototype to production
NIR solid-state optical sensors → BVO NIR Ultra or NIR HD — absorptive, no back-reflection into detector, 400–1000 nm
Retroreflective / LIDAR sensors → BVO NIR Ultra — high contrast, absorptive, imaging capable, eliminates stray back-reflection
NIR camera polarization filtering → BVO NIR HD or NIR DS2 — broadband 400–1000 nm, matched camera polarizer sizes available
SWIR sensors / InGaAs detectors → BVO SWIR — absorptive SWIR polarizer, contact BVO for wavelength range and specifications
License plate recognition / automotive NIR → BVO NIR HD — high durability, LED burn resistance, 400–1000 nm, automotive temperature range
Broadband polarimetry instrumentation → BVO NIR Ultra + AQWP3/AQWP6 — matched polarizer and waveplate across full VIS/NIR band

OEM & Custom Capabilities

Precision cutting 10–25 micron tolerances, any geometry from customer-supplied .dxf files
PSA conversion Pressure-sensitive adhesive backing for direct lamination to optical surfaces
Glass lamination BK-7 optical glass, Corning Eagle XG display glass, non-birefringent acrylic
BBAR coatings 400–900 nm, 400–950 nm, and 700–1100 nm broadband anti-reflection coatings
Large aperture Polarizer film to 1000 × 620 mm; waveplates ≥100 mm aperture available
Volume OEM Contact BVO for pricing on quantities over 100 units — same facility as prototyping

Contact Bolder Vision Optik

Address 5445 Conestoga Ct. Suite 135, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
Phone 303.440.3327
Email [email protected]
Website www.boldervision.com
Company profile Full company profile →