A novel method for mapping two-dimensional polarization distribution

A novel method for reconstructing polarization distribution of an incident light beam is proposed. Detected light beam is incident on a proposed optical measure system and then is divided into two paths of light beams by a splitter equably. Two wave planes are imaged on two CCD sensors through two imaging lenses respectively. In front of the two CCD sensors, two groups of polarization optical elements are placed, including wave plates, birefringent wedge prisms and analyzers. Through these optical elements, wave functions are modulated and recorded by two CCD sensors. Through Fourier transformation and inverse Fourier transformation of intensity distribution recorded by CCD sensors, and according to the proposed algorithm, polarization state distribution of the incident light beam can be determined. Numerical simulation proves that the proposed method can reconstruct polarization state of a light beam effectively.