A Zero Order Waveplate (also called zero‑order retarder) is a high‑precision optical polarization component that controls the polarization state of light by generating accurate, stable phase retardation between orthogonal polarization components via birefringence. Unlike multiple‑order waveplates, it delivers only the target retardance (no extra integer‑wavelength retardation), so it is far less sensitive to wavelength shifts, temperature changes, and incident angles—making it ideal for high‑precision optical systems.
