BVO Visible Linear Polarizers — Visible & Wire Grid Family | 400–1100 nm

BVO Visible & Wire Grid Linear Polarizer Family

Coverage: 400 nm – 1,100 nm | Four Absorptive Visible + One Reflective Wire Grid

Bolder Vision Optik manufactures four absorptive visible linear polarizers and one reflective wire grid polarizer covering 400–1100 nm. The visible family spans ultra high contrast (BVO UHC), high durability dyestuff (BVO VIS DS), ultra high transmission (BVO 244), and HN38 legacy replacement (BVO 38). BVO Wire Grid is fundamentally different — reflective, not absorptive — and enables beamsplitter configurations across the full visible and NIR band.

The Visible Family — Five Products

Standard Catalog

Ultra High Contrast — Flagship

BVO UHC

400 – 700 nm

BVO's flagship visible polarizer. Ultra high contrast with high Tp — the default choice for high performance visible polarization applications.

Avg Contrast

18,656:1

Avg Tp

82.5%

Film Thickness

135 µm

Full Specs →

Standard Catalog

High Durability / Blue LED

BVO VIS DS

400 – 675 nm

High durability dyestuff resists blue LED energy flux — the failure mode for standard visible polarizers in high-intensity illumination. High temperature rated.

Avg Contrast

4,600:1

Avg Tp

77.3%

Blue LED Rated

Yes — dyestuff

Full Specs →

Standard Catalog

Ultra High Transmission

BVO 244

400 – 700 nm

Highest single-pass Tp in the BVO visible line — 86.6% average. Chosen when maximum throughput is the priority and moderate contrast is acceptable. Multi-stage systems, HUD.

Avg Tp

86.6% — Highest VIS

Avg Contrast

460:1

Best For

Multi-stage, HUD

Full Specs →

Standard Catalog

HN38 Legacy Replacement

BVO 38

420 – 760 nm

Direct replacement for the legacy Polaroid HN38 visible polarizer. Solid all-round visible performance. Used where optical drawings specify HN38 or equivalent.

Avg Contrast

4,110:1

Avg Tp

75.5%

Replaces

Polaroid HN38

Full Specs →

Reflective

Reflective Wire Grid — Beamsplitter Capable

BVO Wire Grid

400 – 1,100 nm | 0° and 45° AOI

Fundamentally different from the absorptive visible polarizers above — the wire grid reflects the rejected polarization state rather than absorbing it. Enables polarizing beamsplitter configurations. Performance specified at both 0° and 45° AOI. At 45° AOI, NIR Tp rises to 92%+ above 900 nm. Choose Wire Grid when you need beamsplitter functionality or to recover both polarization states.

CR at 0° AOI

1,085–4,542:1

CR at 45° AOI

954–5,445:1

Coverage

400–1100 nm

Full Specs →

Which Visible Polarizer? — Application Selector

If your application is...	Choose	Why
High contrast visible imaging	BVO UHC	18,656:1 avg contrast — flagship visible polarizer
Machine vision glare reduction	BVO UHC	Ultra high contrast, high Tp, 135 µm thin
TFT / LCD display polarizer	BVO UHC	Thin 135 µm, high contrast, high Tp
Polarized microscopy	BVO UHC	Peak 27,630:1 contrast at 570 nm
Blue LED illumination — sustained	BVO VIS DS	Dyestuff resists blue LED bleaching — standard polarizers fail
High temperature visible application	BVO VIS DS	Higher temperature rating than standard iodine polarizers
Maximum visible Tp / throughput	BVO 244	86.6% avg Tp — highest in BVO visible line
Multi-stage filter / HUD display	BVO 244	Minimum insertion loss per element — critical in multi-stage systems
HN38 / Polaroid legacy replacement	BVO 38	Direct HN38 equivalent — 420–760 nm, 4,110:1 avg contrast
Polarizing beamsplitter needed	BVO Wire Grid	Reflective — separates polarization states spatially at 45° AOI
Recover both polarization states	BVO Wire Grid	Absorptive polarizers discard one state — wire grid reflects it
No back-reflection allowed	BVO UHC, VIS DS, or 244	Absorptive polarizers only — Wire Grid reflects rejected state

If your application is...

Choose

Why

High contrast visible imaging

BVO UHC

18,656:1 avg contrast — flagship visible polarizer

Machine vision glare reduction

BVO UHC

Ultra high contrast, high Tp, 135 µm thin

TFT / LCD display polarizer

BVO UHC

Thin 135 µm, high contrast, high Tp

Polarized microscopy

BVO UHC

Peak 27,630:1 contrast at 570 nm

Blue LED illumination — sustained

BVO VIS DS

Dyestuff resists blue LED bleaching — standard polarizers fail

High temperature visible application

BVO VIS DS

Higher temperature rating than standard iodine polarizers

Maximum visible Tp / throughput

BVO 244

86.6% avg Tp — highest in BVO visible line

Multi-stage filter / HUD display

BVO 244

Minimum insertion loss per element — critical in multi-stage systems

HN38 / Polaroid legacy replacement

BVO 38

Direct HN38 equivalent — 420–760 nm, 4,110:1 avg contrast

Polarizing beamsplitter needed

BVO Wire Grid

Reflective — separates polarization states spatially at 45° AOI

Recover both polarization states

BVO Wire Grid

Absorptive polarizers discard one state — wire grid reflects it

No back-reflection allowed

BVO UHC, VIS DS, or 244

Absorptive polarizers only — Wire Grid reflects rejected state

Side-by-Side Comparison — Absorptive Visible

Property	UHC	VIS DS	244	38
Active range	400–700 nm	400–675 nm	400–700 nm	420–760 nm
Avg contrast	18,656:1	4,600:1	460:1	4,110:1
Avg Tp	82.5%	77.3%	86.6%	75.5%
Film thickness	135 µm	Standard	Standard	Standard
Blue LED rated	—	Yes — dyestuff	—	—
High temp rated	—	Yes	—	—
Legacy replacement	35/42/46 series	—	—	HN38
Best for	High contrast imaging	LED illumination	Max throughput	HN38 specs

Property

UHC

VIS DS

244

Active range

400–700 nm

400–675 nm

400–700 nm

420–760 nm

Avg contrast

18,656:1

4,600:1

460:1

4,110:1

Avg Tp

82.5%

77.3%

86.6%

75.5%

Film thickness

135 µm

Standard

Blue LED rated

—

Yes — dyestuff

—

High temp rated

—

Yes

—

Legacy replacement

35/42/46 series

—

HN38

Best for

High contrast imaging

LED illumination

Max throughput

HN38 specs

Common Specifications — Absorptive Visible Variants

Parameter	UHC / VIS DS / 244 / 38
Polarizer Type	Transmissive, absorptive, non-reflective
Substrate	Plastic Cellulose Triacetate (CTA), dichroic
Surface Quality Film	80/50 Scratch-Dig
Film Cut Tolerances	±50 microns standard; 10–25 microns precision
PSA Conversion	Available on all variants
Glass Components	BK-7 — contact BVO for coating options
Custom Geometry	.dxf routing or laser cutting, 10–25 micron tolerances
Volume OEM	Contact BVO for quantities over 100 units

Parameter

UHC / VIS DS / 244 / 38

Polarizer Type

Transmissive, absorptive, non-reflective

Substrate

Plastic Cellulose Triacetate (CTA), dichroic

Surface Quality Film

80/50 Scratch-Dig

Film Cut Tolerances

±50 microns standard; 10–25 microns precision

PSA Conversion

Available on all variants

Glass Components

BK-7 — contact BVO for coating options

Custom Geometry

.dxf routing or laser cutting, 10–25 micron tolerances

Volume OEM

Contact BVO for quantities over 100 units

BVO Visible & Wire Grid Linear Polarizer Family

The Visible Family — Five Products

Which Visible Polarizer? — Application Selector

Side-by-Side Comparison — Absorptive Visible

Common Specifications — Absorptive Visible Variants

Contact Bolder Vision Optik