Open AccessDual-frequency heterodyne ellipsometer for characterizing generalized elliptically birefringent media
Author(s) -
Chih-Jen Yu,
Chu-En Lin,
Ying-Chang Li,
Li-Dek Chou,
Jheng-Syong Wu,
Cheng-Chung Lee,
Chien Chou
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.17.019213
Subject(s) - optics , polarizer , ellipsometry , birefringence , retarder , elliptical polarization , mueller calculus , polarization (electrochemistry) , physics , materials science , heterodyne (poetry) , polarimetry , spectrum analyzer , linear polarization , laser , scattering , chemistry , thin film , quantum mechanics , acoustics , composite material
This research proposed a dual-frequency heterodyne ellipsometer (DHE) in which a dual-frequency collinearly polarized laser beam with equal amplitude and zero phase difference between p- and s-polarizations is setup. It is based on the polarizer-sample-analyzer, PSA configuration of the conventional ellipsometer. DHE enables to characterize a generalized elliptical phase retarder by treating it as the combination of a linear phase retarder and a polarization rotator. The method for measuring elliptical birefringence of an elliptical phase retarder based on the equivalence theorem of an unitary optical system was derived and the experimental verification by use of DHE was demonstrated too. The experimental results show the capability of DHE on characterization of a generalized phase retardation plate accurately.