title: Circularly polarized optical heterodyne interferometer for optical activity measurement of a quartz crystal.
abstract: Phase retardation between two orthogonal circularly polarized light waves that propagate in an optical active medium is proportional to its optical activity. The measurement of optical activity of a quartz depolarizer in terms of the phase difference of two orthogonal circularly polarized waves is proposed. A circularly polarized optical heterodyne interferometer with a Zeeman laser to measure the optical activity of a quartz crystal is demonstrated experimentally. The accuracy of the measurement is discussed. In addition, the effect of elliptical polarization and nonorthogonality of linearly polarized light waves of a Zeeman laser on the optical activity measurement is analyzed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Radiological Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan. cchou@ym.edu.tw
authors.forename: Chien
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.forename: Wen-Chuan
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Chien-Yuan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Han