Open AccessPolarimeter for measuring the properties of birefringent media in reflective mode
Author(s) -
Marcelina Sobczak,
Piotr Kurzynowski,
Władysław A. Woźniak,
Monika Owczarek,
Sławomir Drobczyński
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.380998
Subject(s) - polarizer , optics , birefringence , polarimetry , polarimeter , photoelasticity , polarization (electrochemistry) , spectrum analyzer , dichroic glass , materials science , stokes parameters , circular polarization , light intensity , linear polarization , physics , scattering , laser , chemistry , composite material , solid mechanics , microstrip
This work presents a description of a polarimetric system for measuring the properties of birefringent media. In our reflection system the applied Stokes polarimeter acts both as a generator of the light's selected polarization states as well as a light analyzer leaving the examined medium. The method is based on six intensity distribution measurements realized in six different configurations of polarizers/analyzers: four linear and two circular ones. Thus, we have achieved parallel polariscope for linear polarizers and the crossed polariscope for circular polarizers. Such a setup can be easily applied for linearly birefringent media properties measurements including dichroic ones. This measurement setup and the measurement method were successfully tested in a homogeneous medium and a medium with variable phase difference.