Feasibility analysis of an achromatic quarter wave plate in a static polarizing wind imaging interferometer

Abstract

A modified static polarizing wind imaging interferometer (SPWII) for measuring the upper atmospheric wind and temperature is presented. The atmospheric temperature and wind velocity can be derived by observing multiple emission lines. The principle of the SPWII is described. The effects of the dispersion of the quarter wave plates on the derived results are analyzed. Using a simulated annealing algorithm, some multilayer achromatic quarter wave plates (AQWPs) are designed to suppress the errors introduced by the dispersion. Two alternative AQWPs (six- and ten-layer) are obtained. The transmission loss of the interferometer and the measurement errors of atmospheric temperature and wind velocity introduced through dispersion can, through the use of achromatic QWPs, be reduced to below 0.2%, 0.15 K and 0.03 m s−1, respectively.