Ferroelectric retarders as an alternative to piezoelastic modulators for use in solar Stokes vector polarimetry

Achim M. Gandorfer

doi:10.1117/1.602183

1 August 1999 Ferroelectric retarders as an alternative to piezoelastic modulators for use in solar Stokes vector polarimetry

Achim M. Gandorfer

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 38, Issue 8, (August 1999). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.602183

We present a concept to modulate all three polarized Stokes components Q, U and V using two standard ?/2 ferroelectric liquid- crystal modulators. Thereby the complete Stokes vector (two linear polarizations and circular polarization) can be deduced from four intensity measurements taken at different phase intervals of the modulation. With ferroelectric liquid crystals, modulation frequencies in the kilohertz range are easily possible, which is necessary for applications in solar astronomy to overcome the influence of turbulence in the earth's atmosphere (seeing). No moving parts that could introduce spurious optical effects are used. In combination with fast demodulators, high-precision vector polarimetry in the visible can be performed. In contrast to conventional modulation schemes using one ?/2 and one ?/4 variable retarder, the technique presented here allows higher polarimetric efficiency and accuracy over a broad spectral range. A theoretical description is presented and compared with first test results on the system's performance.

Citation Download Citation

Achim M. Gandorfer "Ferroelectric retarders as an alternative to piezoelastic modulators for use in solar Stokes vector polarimetry," Optical Engineering 38(8), (1 August 1999). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.602183

Published: 1 August 1999

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available