Stokes-vector and Mueller-matrix polarimetry [Invited]

Abstract

This paper reviews the current status of instruments for measuring the full 4×1 Stokes vector S, which describes the state of polarization (SOP) of totally or partially polarized light, and the 4×4 Mueller matrix M, which determines how the SOP is transformed as light interacts with a material sample or an optical element or system. The principle of operation of each instrument is briefly explained by using the Stokes-Mueller calculus. The development of fast, automated, imaging, and spectroscopic instruments over the last 50 years has greatly expanded the range of applications of optical polarimetry and ellipsometry in almost every branch of science and technology. Current challenges and future directions of this important branch of optics are also discussed.

Mueller Matrix Polarimetry by Means of Azimuthally Polarized Beams and Adapted Commercial Polarimeter

“…The Stokes parameters are measurable quantities that describe the polarization state of a beam propagating along a given direction (Born and Wolf, 1980;Chipman, 2010;Goldstein, 2003;Azzam, 2016). Although it is usual to deal with uniformly polarized light, in general, the Stokes parameters are functions of the position vector r = (r, θ) in the transverse plane of the beam.…”

“…Usually, a polarization state generator that produce at least four states whose Stokes vectors are linearly independent is used to modify the polarization state of the probing beam and the projection of the output light onto 4 polarization states with linearly independent Stokes vector are measured for obtaining the complete Mueller matrix (Azzam, 2016;Chipman, 2010;Goldstein, 2003).…”

“…A useful way to represent the polarization state of light is by means of Stokes parameters (Goldstein, 2003;Chipman, 2010;Azzam, 2016) that can be arranged in a 4 × 1 vector. In general, the polarization state of an incident beam impinging onto a specimen changes due to the interaction of light with the sample.…”

Design, fabrication and testing of achromatic elliptical polarizer

“…In section 3, the technique is applied to the design of elliptical polarizers that operate in the visible spectrum and can be used in an optimized polarimeter. It is shown that our achromatic elliptical polarizer design can be applied in existing polarimetry techniques [8][9][10][11] and provide a solution to full-Stokes measurement of broadband light. In section 4, the fabrication and testing of the achromatic elliptical polarizer are presented.…”

Optimal design and performance metric of broadband full-Stokes polarimeters with immunity to Poisson and Gaussian noise

“…They can combine with spectrometers to form spectropolarimeters, modulating spectrally-resolved polarization state in a variety of spectral lines [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]. To demodulate the full-Stokes vector that consists of four Stokes components ( 0 S , 1 S , 2 S , 3 S ), the polarimeters should have no less than four modulation states [14,15]. Generally, the broadband polarimeters can be categorized into two types: achromatic and polychromatic polarimeters [12,13].…”