A triple reflection polarizer for use in the vacuum ultraviolet.

The construction and evaluation of an efficient and convenient reflection type polarizer, using three gold mirrors, which is useful in the 500-5000-A wavelength region is described. The polarizer is evaluated both by direct measurement of its polarization and by calculation from the measured optical constants of gold. The variation in optical properties and hence polarization is investigated for gold mirrors prepared by different workers. With this instrument it is possible, over a wide wavelength region, to obtain 95% polarization with approximately 15% transmission of the polarized beam.