Buying Optical Delay Lines
Optical delay lines introduce a controlled time delay for a light beam, essential for interferometers, communications devices, autocorrelators, electro-optic sampling, and pump–probe measurements. Some devices offer a variable delay, allowing periodic scanning.
Making Good Purchase Decisions
As the most professional photonics purchasing portal, RP Photonics helps you to not only to find all relevant suppliers (not limited to our advertisers), but also to make good purchasing decisions.
NEW: Structured Decision Process
Purchasing involves a lot of responsibility. We recommend that you apply best practice by using the following structured process: Go through the following expandable sections, complete the form and finally come to a purchase decision. You can then print that to a PDF for documenting the process.
Our article on best practices for purchasing and another one explaining this tool give you valuable insights.
Suppliers for Optical Delay Lines
21 suppliers for optical delay lines (ODL) are listed in the RP Photonics Buyer's Guide, out of which 5 present their product descriptions. Both manufacturers and distributors can be registered.
Suppliers with Advertising Package
presenting their product descriptions
![]() YOUR KEY to innovation and success UltraFast Innovations GmbHDieselstr. 5 85748 Garching (München) Germany See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B1.543)! | ![]() K2, by UltraFast Innovations (UFI®), is a pulse delay unit specially designed for the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) and soft X-ray region, where particularly high precision and stability are required. A two-segment mirror sends IR pulses and lower divergent XUV/soft X-ray pulses to a common focus with an interferometrically adjustable precise time delay. This allows temporally resolved experiments with pumping systems of interest either with the XUV/soft X-ray pulse and probe it with the IR or vice-versa. Based on the nature of e.g., attosecond pulses generated in the XUV/soft X-ray range by high harmonic generation (HHG), this offers state-of-the-art highest temporal resolution for your experiments. Product-specific web page |
![]() 7639 Cordner Lasalle, Quebec H8N 2X2 Canada | ![]() Our precise variable optical delay line is based on our unique optical alignment technology with up to 50, 100, 200 or 400 mm air path variation, corresponding to optical delays of up to 165, 330, 660, and 1300 ps, respectively. Both electrical and manual versions are available. This product is an ideal solution for network equipment, test instrument and lab testing applications. Product-specific web page |
![]() 43 Sparta Avenue Newton, NJ 07860 United States See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B2.403, A1.530) and CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (booth 113)! | ![]() Ready-to-use optical delay lines manufactured by Thorlabs include the drive system necessary for computer-controlled variation of optical path lengths. With delays up to 4,000 ps and time resolution down to 0.67 fs, these systems compliment our family of ultrafast optics and laser systems. Product-specific web page |
![]() Plauener Straße 163–165 / Haus N 13053 Berlin Germany See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B2.410) and CLEO 2025 in Long Beach (CA), USA, May 4–9 (Kiosk 731)! | ![]() The APE ScanDelay is a variable optical delay line, allowing the introduction of a well-defined time delay into an optical path – for example, for pump–probe measurements. The delay is periodically controlled by a fast scanning shaker at a frequency of up to 20 Hz. The heart of APE’s optical delay line series is a special linear translation stage that is supplied together with appropriate control and drive electronics. The linear drive has been designed especially for optical applications. It combines low moving mass with compactness, reaching a high speed, as well as high precision and resolution. The delay drive has frictionless movement, a large and precise travel range, and it allows for very small displacements without any stick-slip-effects. The control electronic contains the motion driver and a quartz stabilized signal synthesizer. It can be synchronized with an external clock for a precise, phase-locked scanner movement. Product-specific web page |
![]() Dowlish Ford Ilminster TA19 0PF United Kingdom See us at LASER World of Photonics 2025 in Munich, June 24–27 (booth B2.303)! | ![]() G&H designs and manufactures custom modules – fiber assemblies of passive and/or active optical components integrated to provide higher functionality in a compact footprint. Customers sourcing fiber optic assemblies stay focused on their core competence while reducing time to market and development costs. Our in-depth understanding of optical component performance, combined with the use of low loss G&H products, ensures optimized designs. Advanced assembly techniques such as ribbon splicing and fiber recoating are used to provide robustness, reduce form factors, and minimize manufacturing costs. At G&H, we take a custom module designs from specification all the way through to a manufactured product. We are expert in mechanical design for optics, fiber optics, and fiber assemblies. Our fiber assemblies include pigtailed lasers, spectrometers, optical delay lines, telescopes, and fiber collimators. The most complex assemblies can include bulk optics, fiber optics, motion control, and electronics. Product-specific web page |
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Other Suppliers
AFW Technologies Pty Ltd. Australia |
EMCORE Corporation United States |
Fastlite France |
Femtochrome Research United States |
HJ Optronics Inc. United States |
IDIL Fibres Optiques France |
Kylia France |
Laser Components GmbH Germany |
LIGENTEC SA Switzerland |
Newport Corporation United States |
OWIS GmbH Germany |
OZ Optics Canada |
RFOptic Israel |
SiCART Technology China |
TeraSpinTec GmbH Germany |
Ultrafast Systems United States |