Abstract
Mueller matrix differential decomposition is a novel method for analyzing the polarimetric properties of optical samples. It is performed through an eigenanalysis of the Mueller matrix and the subsequent decomposition of the corresponding differential Mueller matrix into the complete set of 16 differential matrices which characterize depolarizing anisotropic media. The method has been proposed so far only for measurements in transmission configuration. In this work the method is extended to the backward direction. The modifications of the differential matrices according to the reference system are discussed. The method is successfully applied to Mueller matrices measured in reflection and backscattering.
Highlights
The polarimetric characterization of optical media by Mueller matrices has become a widely used technique in many fields, mainly due to its capacity to characterize depolarization and to its suitability for experimental applications
The differential formulation of the Mueller calculus was first presented more than 30 years ago [1]
It constitutes a powerful method for studying the evolution of polarized light propagation in optical media
Summary
The polarimetric characterization of optical media by Mueller matrices has become a widely used technique in many fields, mainly due to its capacity to characterize depolarization and to its suitability for experimental applications. The differential formulation of the Mueller calculus was first presented more than 30 years ago [1] It constitutes a powerful method for studying the evolution of polarized light propagation in optical media. The complete set of 16 differential Mueller matrices for describing general depolarizing anisotropic media has been presented and discussed [2]. They enable to apply the general differential Mueller calculus to a vast range of theoretical and experimental applications in many fields of interest in Optics. In this work we discuss the modifications in the basic differential Mueller matrices that are involved in light beam propagation direction reversal, and we apply them to extend the differential decomposition to measurements performed in the backward direction. The decomposition is successfully applied to several media measured in reflection and in backscattering
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