Dove Prisms

Named for its inventor Harting Dove, dove prisms (with antireflection coatings on the ends) completely invert an image by 180 degrees. If the prism is rotated about its axis the image will rotate at twice the rate of rotation of the prism. Dove prisms provide a convenient and precise method of rotating a beam. The long length and square profile makes them easy to mount in a cylindrical sleeve.  Dove prisms need to be used with collimated or near-collimated beams because of the very limited field of view. When used as an image inverting prism the hy- potenuse face acts as a TIR surface and is therefore normally not coated. Therefore. it is important to keep this surface clean. Dove prisms have an unusual and very interesting characteristic - if you look through the prism and rotate it around a longitudinal axis, the image rotates through twice the angle through which the dove prism itself rotates. For optimal peformance, use dove prisms with collimated light. The top surface of each TECHSPEC® Dove Prism is ground and the longest length (specified by dimension B) features an unbeveled sharp edge. Dove Prisms are offered uncoated, with anti-reflection coated diagonal faces, or with aluminized diagonal faces. Aluminized dove prisms feature a protected aluminum coating with black Krylon paint on the diagonal faces and are ideal for displaced retroreflection. They provide a u-turn for incident laser beam light. Reflection is displaced.