Demonstration of Compact In situ Mueller-Matrix Polarimetry Based on Binary Polarization Rotators

Zhenyang Ding,Yangyang Yao,Tiegen Liu,Chenhuan Wang,Xiaojun Chen,Shuang Wang,X Steve Yao

doi:10.1109/access.2019.2945812

Abstract

We develop a compact in situ Mueller-matrix polarimetry (MMP) based on binary polarization rotators for on-machine optical processing measurements. The presented in situ MMP could measure the polarization properties of free-space reflective samples by analyzing Muller matrices of samples. We design a compact polarization analysis probe that contains binary magneto-optic (MO) polarization rotators based on polarization state generator (PSG) and polarization state analyzer (PSA) pair with free-space optics components, which is very suitable for in situ measurements of optical machining. In the experiments, measured phase retardations of the commercial liquid crystal retarder by the presented MMP agree well with the manufacturer's test data. The standard deviation of repeat experimental results is 0.000227 rad corresponding to the birefringent optical path difference of 0.0560 nm. We measure two-dimensional (2D) maps of phase retardation, degree of polarization (DOP) and polarization dependent loss (PDL) of different materials. Especially, this MMP can detect the residual stress on normal glass and the compressive stress on tempered glass, which is very helpful for optical machining. This MMP can also effectively detect the external force induced birefringence on the transparent plastic sheet and the thermal stress induced tiny birefringence on the slide glass.

Highlights

Polarimetry can provide powerful diagnostic, sensing, analytical, and metrology tools in many applications of physical, chemical, and biological sciences [1]
We presented an optical fiber polarization measurement system by binary polarization rotators consisting of MO crystals for polarization state generator (PSG) and polarization state analyzer (PSA) [23]–[25]
We develop a compact in situ Muellermatrix polarimetry (MMP) device based on binary polarization rotators for in situ optical machining measurements, which is extended from the optical fiber polarization measurement system [23]

Summary

Introduction

Polarimetry can provide powerful diagnostic, sensing, analytical, and metrology tools in many applications of physical, chemical, and biological sciences [1]. Polarimetry can measure strain distribution on the crystal or glass [2]. Polarimetry receives considerable attention for biomedical application. It can provide polarization information including birefringence, diattenuation and. Polarimetry can measure internal residual stresses on the silicon wafer in the silicon solar cell industry [8]. The widely used MMP structure is dual-rotatingretarder MMP [9]. The modified structure with no moving part is MMP with four variable phase linear retarders such as liquid-crystal [10], Pockels cell retarders [11], photoelastic

Methods

Conclusion