Off-axis behavior of an infrared meander-line waveplate.
An infrared meander-line waveplate has been modeled and measured over the 8 to 12 microm spectral band in terms of its differential phase delay, axial ratio of the output polarization ellipse, and power throughput for angles of incidence between 0 degrees and 60 degrees. The study has been performed for planes of incidence parallel and perpendicular to the meander-line axis. The main significance is that the phase delay remains almost unaffected by the angle of incidence. Infrared meander-line retarders can thus be used well beyond the paraxial range as in low-f/# optical systems and in non-normal-incidence applications.
Tharp
Jeffrey S
JS
CREOL/College of Optics and Photonics, University of Central Florida, FL 32816, USA. jstharp@creol.ucf.edu
Alda
Javier
J
Boreman
Glenn D
GD