Corner Cube Retroreflector
High-precision reflection: The retroreflector of the corner pyramid is able to return the incident rays almost perfectly in the original path through three total internal reflections inside, with extremely high reflection accuracy, and the beam deviation is usually very small (e.g. 180° ±30 arc seconds). This high-precision reflective property makes it excellent in applications where precise alignment and measurement are required.
Angular Insensitivity: Unlike other types of reflectors, the reflective performance of the corner pyramid retroreflector is almost unaffected by the direction of incident light and the angle at which the prism is placed. This property allows it to maintain a stable reflection effect even in complex and changing environments.
Durability: Corner cone retroreflectors are usually made of high-quality optical materials (such as UV grade fused silica, BK7 optical glass), which have good anti-wear, anti-corrosion and anti-aging properties. This allows it to maintain stable performance for long periods of time in harsh environments.
Easy to install and commission: Corner pyramid retroreflectors are often designed with ease of installation and commissioning in mind. It enables precise alignment with simple operation and enables quick integration into the system.
Applications: Laser Measurement & Positioning, Optical Communications, Robot Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance, Traffic Safety, Research & Teaching, etc.
The Corner Cube Retroreflector is a high-precision optical component with a core design consisting of a corner cube prism with three mutually perpendicular reflectors. When a ray of light is incident on a corner pyramid retroreflector, it undergoes three total internal reflections and eventually returns almost entirely along the path of the incident ray. This unique reflective property makes the corner pyramid retroreflector excellent in a wide range of applications, especially where high-precision reflection and measurement are required.
Specifications:
| Material | N-BK7, UVFS (standard), or other custom optical glass |
| Dimension Tolerance | ±0.1mm (standard), or custom |
| Surface Quality | 40/20 S/D (standard), or custom |
| Clear Aperture | >90% or custom |
| Flatness | <λ/4@632.8nm (standard), or custom |
| Angular Tolerance | ±3 arc min or custom |
| Bevelling | <0.2×45° or custom |
| Coating | uncoated, or custom |
Features:
- High-precision reflection: The retroreflector of the corner pyramid is able to return the incident rays almost perfectly in the original path through three total internal reflections inside, with extremely high reflection accuracy, and the beam deviation is usually very small (e.g. 180° ±30 arc seconds). This high-precision reflective property makes it excellent in applications where precise alignment and measurement are required.
- Angular Insensitivity: Unlike other types of reflectors, the reflective performance of the corner pyramid retroreflector is almost unaffected by the direction of incident light and the angle at which the prism is placed. This property allows it to maintain a stable reflection effect even in complex and changing environments.
- Durability: Corner cone retroreflectors are usually made of high-quality optical materials (such as UV grade fused silica, BK7 optical glass), which have good anti-wear, anti-corrosion and anti-aging properties. This allows it to maintain stable performance for long periods of time in harsh environments.
- Easy to install and commission: Corner pyramid retroreflectors are often designed with ease of installation and commissioning in mind. It enables precise alignment with simple operation and enables quick integration into the system.
Applications:
- Laser Measurement & Positioning: Corner retroreflectors play an important role in laser measurement and positioning systems. It precisely reflects the laser beam back to the emitting source, enabling high-precision distance measurement and three-dimensional positioning.
- Optical Communications: In free-space optical communication systems, the corner cone retroreflector can be used as a signal receiver or reflector. It can effectively capture and reflect optical signals, improving the stability and reliability of communication.
- Robot Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance: In robotic systems, corner cone retroreflectors can be used in sensors such as lidar to help robots achieve accurate environmental awareness, navigation, and obstacle avoidance.
- Traffic Safety: Although the direct application of the retroreflector is rare, its retroreflective principle is widely used in the field of road traffic safety. For example, traffic safety facilities such as reflective films and reflective markings make use of the principle of retroreflective to improve the visibility and safety of road signs.
- Research & Teaching: In optical research and teaching, the corner retroreflector is also often used as an experimental device to help students and researchers deeply understand the principles of optics and retroreflective phenomena.
In summary, the Corner Cube Retroreflector has been widely used in laser measurement, optical communication, robot navigation, traffic safety, scientific research and teaching due to its advantages of high-precision reflection, angle insensitivity, strong durability and easy installation and commissioning.
