Continuously Variable Attenuators / Beamsplittesr are designed for down to 100 fs laser pulses. They consist of high-performance polarizing optics components placed in precision opto-mechanical holder 840-0197:
High power polarizing cubes, which reflect s-polarized light at 90° angle while transmitting p-polarized light. Rotating λ/2 waveplates, placed in the incident polarized beam.
The intensity ratio of two exiting beams may be continuously varied over a wide dynamic range without alteration of other beam parameters by rotating the waveplate. Pure p-polarization could be selected for maximum transmission, or pure s-polarization for maximum attenuation of the transmitted beam.