Measurement method of Stokes parameters using a quarter-wave plate with phase difference errors

The Stokes parameters (S-0, S-1, S-2, and S-3) of monochromatic light can be measured using the adjustable azimuth settings of a quarter-wave plate and a polarizer. When measuring the Stokes parameters of light of an arbitrary wavelength, the measurement of S-3 is affected by the phase difference error Delta q(lambda i), due to the mismatch with respect to wavelength with the quarter-wave plate. In this method, Delta q(lambda i), due to such a mismatch of incident light of arbitrary wavelength, can be overcome by a judicious choice of azimuth settings of the quarter-wave plate and the use of a polarizer; however, the use of a precision quarter-wave plate is necessary. The present paper proposes a measurement method of Stokes parameters of incident light of arbitrary wavelength using a quarter-wave plate with phase difference errors. (C) 2011 Optical Society of America