Analysis and experimental verification of the polarization characteristics of cube-corner reflectors

Abstract

The polarization effect of cube-corner reflectors (CCRs), which influences the performance of optical systems, requires comprehensive analysis. This study developed a model for the polarization state of uncoated solid and hollow CCRs using the Jones matrix derivation and Zemax software simulations. The accuracies of theoretical analyses and simulations were verified using an experimental setup. Theoretical analysis, simulation, and experimental results revealed that hollow CCRs are insensitive to the polarization state of the incident light, exhibiting average variations of 0.8° and 0.7° in the polarization direction and ellipticity, respectively. Contrastingly, the high sensitivity of solid CCRs to the polarization state of the incident light varied across different incident regions. The propagation paths 2–1–3 and 3–1–2 with minor polarization effects involved light that entered from one side of the CCR, traversed the bottom, and emitted from the other side. In these regions, the average variations in the polarization direction and ellipticity were 10.7° and 6.6°, respectively, whereas more affected regions exhibited corresponding values of 44.8° and 20.0°. These findings guide the enhancement and optimization of the performance of optical systems using CCRs.