Abstract

The optical resting point of a polarimetric sensor is normally reached by using a fixed retarder plate. It is shown that this retarder plate can be omitted by using 90° prisms of selected glass materials. The sensitivity of the prism retarder toward changes in wavelength and temperature is mathematically analyzed, and it is shown how the stability of the retarder system is influenced by the selection of materials and production tolerances on prism angles. A practical example is given.

© 1991 Optical Society of America

Achromatic phase retarders constructed from right-angle prisms: design

I. Filinski and T. Skettrup
Appl. Opt. 23(16) 2747-2751 (1984)

Achromatic wave retarder by phase subtraction

W. C. Yip, H. C. Huang, and H. S. Kwok
Appl. Opt. 35(22) 4381-4384 (1996)

Achromatic athermalized retarder fabrication

Anna-Britt Mahler, Stephen McClain, and Russell Chipman
Appl. Opt. 50(5) 755-765 (2011)

Totally reflecting thin-film phase retarders

Eberhard Spiller
Appl. Opt. 23(20) 3544-3549 (1984)

Polarimetric stellar interferometry by use of birefringent retarders

Naoshi Murakami, Naoko Ohishi, Jun Nishikawa, and Masanori Yoshizawa
Appl. Opt. 48(30) 5774-5781 (2009)