Spectropolarimetric method for optic axis, retardation, and birefringence dispersion measurement

Avner Safrani; Ibrahim Abdulhalim

doi:10.1117/1.3126628

Spectropolarimetric method for optic axis, retardation, and birefringence dispersion measurement

Avner Safrani, Ibrahim Abdulhalim

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

23 Scopus citations

Abstract

A new method and algorithm for measuring optical linear birefringence is proposed. The method allows the measurement of both the principal axis orientation angle and the retardation simultaneously by a three-step measurement. The average absolute error of the retardation of an achromatic quarter-wave plate (QWP) is found to be better than 10^-4 parts of the wavelength over the whole spectrum, and its principal axis system orientation is determined with accuracy better than 0.18 deg. in comparison to other methods, the current technique holds several advantages: wavelength independence, low cost, compact setup, ease of alignment, use of a simple algorithm, no polarization reflectance dependence, and possesses high accuracy. The method was applied also to the measurement of an arbitrary retardation of a sapphire plate and to the assessment of the dynamic retardation of a liquid crystal device.

Original language	English
Article number	053601
Journal	Optical Engineering
Volume	48
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1117/1.3126628
State	Published - 29 Jun 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
General Engineering

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title = "Spectropolarimetric method for optic axis, retardation, and birefringence dispersion measurement",

abstract = "A new method and algorithm for measuring optical linear birefringence is proposed. The method allows the measurement of both the principal axis orientation angle and the retardation simultaneously by a three-step measurement. The average absolute error of the retardation of an achromatic quarter-wave plate (QWP) is found to be better than 10-4 parts of the wavelength over the whole spectrum, and its principal axis system orientation is determined with accuracy better than 0.18 deg. in comparison to other methods, the current technique holds several advantages: wavelength independence, low cost, compact setup, ease of alignment, use of a simple algorithm, no polarization reflectance dependence, and possesses high accuracy. The method was applied also to the measurement of an arbitrary retardation of a sapphire plate and to the assessment of the dynamic retardation of a liquid crystal device.",

author = "Avner Safrani and Ibrahim Abdulhalim",

note = "Funding Information: This research is supported by the Israeli Ministry of Science under the Tashtiot Program. The authors would like to thank Mr. Ofir Aharon for his advice and support in the preparation of the LCR.",

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AU - Safrani, Avner

AU - Abdulhalim, Ibrahim

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N2 - A new method and algorithm for measuring optical linear birefringence is proposed. The method allows the measurement of both the principal axis orientation angle and the retardation simultaneously by a three-step measurement. The average absolute error of the retardation of an achromatic quarter-wave plate (QWP) is found to be better than 10-4 parts of the wavelength over the whole spectrum, and its principal axis system orientation is determined with accuracy better than 0.18 deg. in comparison to other methods, the current technique holds several advantages: wavelength independence, low cost, compact setup, ease of alignment, use of a simple algorithm, no polarization reflectance dependence, and possesses high accuracy. The method was applied also to the measurement of an arbitrary retardation of a sapphire plate and to the assessment of the dynamic retardation of a liquid crystal device.

AB - A new method and algorithm for measuring optical linear birefringence is proposed. The method allows the measurement of both the principal axis orientation angle and the retardation simultaneously by a three-step measurement. The average absolute error of the retardation of an achromatic quarter-wave plate (QWP) is found to be better than 10-4 parts of the wavelength over the whole spectrum, and its principal axis system orientation is determined with accuracy better than 0.18 deg. in comparison to other methods, the current technique holds several advantages: wavelength independence, low cost, compact setup, ease of alignment, use of a simple algorithm, no polarization reflectance dependence, and possesses high accuracy. The method was applied also to the measurement of an arbitrary retardation of a sapphire plate and to the assessment of the dynamic retardation of a liquid crystal device.

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Spectropolarimetric method for optic axis, retardation, and birefringence dispersion measurement

Abstract

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