Open AccessReducing symmetric polarization aberrations in a lens by annealing
Author(s) -
Justin Wolfe,
Russell A. Chipman
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/opex.12.003443
Subject(s) - optics , birefringence , polarimeter , materials science , polishing , lens (geology) , polarization (electrochemistry) , annealing (glass) , spherical aberration , polarimetry , physics , scattering , composite material , chemistry
Radially symmetric retardance was found in antireflection coated, molded aspheric glass lenses by measurement with a Mueller matrix imaging polarimeter. The source of the unexpected polarization aberration is traced to a remarkably symmetric radial stress birefringence in the glass believed to arise during fire-polishing of the surfaces. While annealing the lenses relieves much of the stress birefringence, reducing the retardance of the lenses by a factor of five, the lenses remained unusable.