Automatic measurement of the Stokes vector of light

Abstract

A system which measures the Stokes parameters of light automatically over a wide range of wavelengths is described. The method requires two piezooptic modulators, three lock-in amplifiers, and an on-line minicomputer for data processing. The absence of a static retardation plate provides an unprecedented insensitivity to beam wandering. Typical performance parameters such as response time, accuracy, and detectivity as a function of the incident polarization are given.

Experimental determination of the Stokes parameters using a dual photoelastic modulator system

“…(10) and the ellipticity angle, χ F , is found from the Eq. (9). These quantities are shown in Figs.…”

“…The subject has continued to evolve insofar as modern practice tends to favor a dual-PEM setup [4][5][6][7][8][9] rather than the use of a single modulator [10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22]. The main advantage to be gained is that signals relevant to the four Stokes parameters may be collected simultaneously, thus allowing the measurement of rapidly time-varying polarization states [5,23].…”

“…Further important contributions were made by Kuldepp et al [8] and Boyer et al [9]. In a previous paper [23], we presented a generalized methodology for the use of a dual-PEM system, but subject to the condition that the retardation amplitudes of the modulators were set at a specified fixed value in order to make the zero-order Bessel functions vanish.…”

On the performance of the physicality-constrained maximum-likelihood estimation of Stokes vector

“…For the purpose of illustration, we consider the measurement matrix W based on linear polarizers at 0°, 90°, 45°and a circular polarizer, which is widely employed in practice [17,18]: …”

Radiative properties of char, fly-ash, and soot particles in coal flames. Technical progress report, second year, October 1994--December 1994

“…How much and into which direction a particle scatters an electromagnetic wave passing through its vicinity depends on particle's 1. shape, 2. complex index of refraction, m = n -ik 4. the clearance between particles.…”