Olympus U-CWE2 Quartz Wedge 1-4 Lambda

The Olympus U-CWE2 is a 4-order quartz wedge compensator with a retardation range of 1–4λ (one to four full wavelengths), designed for quantitative birefringence measurement and compensation in polarized light microscopy on Olympus BX and CX series microscopes. A quartz wedge compensator is a graduated optical element — as the wedge is translated across the optical path, the retardation it introduces increases continuously from one end to the other. By inserting the quartz wedge into the optical path between crossed polarizers and translating it until the specimen’s birefringence is compensated (extinction restored), the operator can read the specimen’s retardation directly from the wedge scale. The 4-order (1–4λ) range of the U-CWE2 makes it suitable for specimens with moderate to high birefringence — complementing lower-order compensators (such as the λ/4 and λ plates) used for weakly birefringent specimens. The U-CWE2 installs in the U-TAD accessory slot or the U-PA polarizing intermediate piece on BX and CX series microscopes. Built to Olympus factory specifications (catalog number U-P546). This unit is in excellent, as-new condition at a significant discount from the list price.