How to Safely Clean and Remove Residues from a Polarizing Beamsplitter Cube

[pmehnati]

how we can clean and remove the fat effects such as fingerprint of polarizing beamsplitter cube.we must regarded that the surface of polarizing beamsplitter cube have some coating materials that they should be safe,

 

[Redbelly98]

Even if you have the appropriate cleaning solution and tissues used for optics, there is a technique for doing this properly. It's best to have somebody show you how to do this in person.

Do you work with anybody who has experience working with optics? They should know how to do this.

 

[Andy Resnick]

Assuming the beamsplitter is coated glass, my standard cleaning procedure should work:

First, wear latex gloves so you don't re-contaminate the surface. I use "Sparkle" brand glass cleaner- the purple, not the red:

http://www.bestcleaningproducts.com/shop/product.asp_Q_prodID_E_3756

and use Q-tips or a lint-free wipe (I use Kimwipes). Wet the Q-tip/Kimwipe with the sparkle and gently rub the beamsplitter until the entire surface is wet. Then use a clean and dry q-tip/Kimwipe to remove the sparkle from the glass. Wipe in a figure-8 pattern, *never* rub dry cloth onto a dry glass surface.

For stubborn residues, you can use xylene, acetone, or 70% EtOH in distilled water. Xylene works the best, but can dissolve cements and otherwise damage optical components.

This is only for bare/coated glass: modern coatings are hard and can hold up to this cleaning procedure. Delicate optics (diffraction gratings, CCD windows, etc) should not be touched with anything- there are other methods to clean those components.