When using an optical fiber probe to measure the properties of anisotropic optical materials, some form of polarization controller is required to compensate for the inherent birefringence and diattenuation properties of the fiber. The experimental settings of the optical components within the polarization controller are generally determined on a trial-and-error basis; resulting in a lengthy experimentation process. Accordingly, in the present study, a method is proposed for calculating in advance the precise controller settings required to guarantee the formation of a free-space condition. In the proposed approach, the effective optical parameters of the optical fiber are determined using an analytical method, and the optimal settings of the polarization controller are then determined using a genetic algorithm. It is shown that the proposed approach enables a free-space condition to be achieved for the common polarization controller. The practical applicability of the proposed approach is demonstrated by remotely and absolutely measuring the linear birefringence and linear diattenuation properties of a quarter-wave plate and a polarizer, respectively.

© 2011 IEEE

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