Precision 
Optical manufactures thousands of porro prisms every year. Porro prisms can be made in all sorts of shapes and sizes. A common type that Precision Optical offers is a sharp roof or “knife” edge porro prism. As light enters the hypotenuse of a right angle (45-45-90), it will undergo 180° deviation that is invariant in the azimuthal axis, while precise adjustment of the prism controls beam elevation. The combination of this effect, along with a sharp edge roof (sharp 90° intersection), is a highly desired optical element in laser systems. The sharp roof allows for minimal obscuration between reflective optical surfaces, which is a significant advantage for high laser power applications. Whereas an edge chamfer that bifurcates two optical surfaces can scan scatter light, the sharp knife edge allows a seamless transition and reduces light scatter.
Along with the quality of the knife edge (quantification of chip-free zones), other precise aspects of the porro prism are the flatness of the optical surfaces, the surface quality (i.e. scratch/dig), the angular deviation, and, of course, the quality of the material. Precision Optical manufactures porro prisms from some of the highest grades of fused silica and other materials available on the market. Many times, customers require very high quality and low transmitted wavefront error through a porro prism across the roof edge. With constantly-tuned continuous pitch polishing laps, veteran polishing technicians, process control, and state-of-the-art metrology, Precision Optical can provide the highest quality porro prisms available in the optics and photonics industry.
We can consistently achieve fractions of arc second angular deviations, achieving sub-arc second beam deviation regularly. Since the majority of optical components supplied by Precision Optical are “laser quality,” we can achieve some of the tightest levels of surface quality required. In some cases, we achieve “zero defect” zones with the use of magnification and high intensity light and surface roughness < 3 Angstroms.
We can achieve custom geometries and features that are critical to customer requirements. We can also help our customers establish specifications, striking the ideal balance between performance and cost. However, in most cases customers who order porro prisms from Precision Optical receive optics of a quality exceeding the intended specification for optimum optical performance. Please visit our page on Porro Prisms or contact us directly if you want us to help you with your porro prism needs. We are “The Prism Specialists!”