A new method for simultaneously measuring the phase retardation and optic axis of a uniaxial compensation film is demonstrated using an axially-symmetric sheared polymer network liquid crystal (SPNLC). By overlaying a tested compensation film with a calibrated SPNLC cell between crossed polarizers, two dark spots are clearly observed in a CCD image. From the orientation direction and distance of these two spots, the optic axis and phase retardation value of the compensation film can be determined. This method is particularly useful for those optical systems whose optic axis and phase retardation are dynamically changing.

© 2005 Optical Society of America

1. E. Hecht, Optics, (Addison Wesley, New York, 2002).
2. T. Oakberg, �??Measurement of low-level strain birefringence in optical elements using a photoelastic modulator,�?? in International Symposium on Polarization Analysis and Applications to Device Technology, T. Yoshizawa and H. Yokota, eds., Proc. SPIE 2873, 17-20 (1996).
3. T. Oakberg, �??Measurement of waveplate retardation using a photoelastic modulator,�?? in Polarization: Measurement, Analysis, Remote Sensing , D. H. Goldstein and R. A. Chipman, eds., Proc. SPIE 3121, 19-22, (1997).
4. S. Nakadate, �??High precision retardation measurement using phase detection of Young's fringes,�?? Appl. Opt. 29, 242-246 (1990). <a href= "http://ao.osa.org/abstract.cfm?id=37642">http://ao.osa.org/abstract.cfm?id=37642</a>
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7. Y. H. Wu, Y. H. Lin, Y. Q. Lu, H. Ren, Y. H. Fan, J. R. Wu and S. T. Wu �??Submillisecond response variable optical attenuator based on sheared polymer network liquid crystal,�?? Opt. Express, 12, 6377-6384 (2004), <a href= "http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-12-25-6382">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-12-25-6382</a>
8. J. L. West, G. Zhang, and A. Glushchenko, �??Fast birefringent mode stressed liquid crystal,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 031111 (2005). [CrossRef]
9. S. T. Wu, �??Birefringence dispersion of liquid crystals,�?? Phys. Rev. A 33, 1270-1274 (1986). [CrossRef]

Appl. Opt.

• S. Nakadate, �??High precision retardation measurement using phase detection of Young's fringes,�?? Appl. Opt. 29, 242-246 (1990). <a href= "http://ao.osa.org/abstract.cfm?id=37642">http://ao.osa.org/abstract.cfm?id=37642</a>

Appl. Phys. Lett.

• J. L. West, G. Zhang, and A. Glushchenko, �??Fast birefringent mode stressed liquid crystal,�?? Appl. Phys. Lett. 86, 031111 (2005). [CrossRef]

Opt. Eng.

• Y. L. Lo and P. F. Hsu, �??Birefringence measurements by an electro-optic modulator using a new heterodyne scheme,�?? Opt. Eng. 41, 2764�??2767 (2002). [CrossRef]

Opt. Express

• Y. H. Wu, Y. H. Lin, H. Ren, X. Nie, J. H. Lee, and S. T. Wu, �??Axially-symmetric sheared polymer network liquid crystals," Opt. Express 13, 4638-4644 (2005), <a href= "http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-13-12-4638">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-13-12-4638</a> [CrossRef]
• Y. H. Wu, Y. H. Lin, Y. Q. Lu, H. Ren, Y. H. Fan, J. R. Wu and S. T. Wu �??Submillisecond response variable optical attenuator based on sheared polymer network liquid crystal,�?? Opt. Express, 12, 6377-6384 (2004), <a href= "http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-12-25-6382">http://www.opticsexpress.org/abstract.cfm?URI=OPEX-12-25-6382</a>

Phys. Rev. A

• S. T. Wu, �??Birefringence dispersion of liquid crystals,�?? Phys. Rev. A 33, 1270-1274 (1986). [CrossRef]

Proc. SPIE

• T. Oakberg, �??Measurement of low-level strain birefringence in optical elements using a photoelastic modulator,�?? in International Symposium on Polarization Analysis and Applications to Device Technology, T. Yoshizawa and H. Yokota, eds., Proc. SPIE 2873, 17-20 (1996).
• T. Oakberg, �??Measurement of waveplate retardation using a photoelastic modulator,�?? in Polarization: Measurement, Analysis, Remote Sensing , D. H. Goldstein and R. A. Chipman, eds., Proc. SPIE 3121, 19-22, (1997).

Other

• E. Hecht, Optics, (Addison Wesley, New York, 2002).

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