Rotating-detector ellipsometer for measurement of the state of polarization of light.
A polarization-state detector that consists only of a photodetector and no other optical elements is described. The detector surface is partially specularly reflecting and intercepts the light beam of unknown polarization at oblique incidence. The absorbed fraction of incident radiation is modulated by synchronous rotation of the detector, and the corresponding electrical output signal readily determines the elliptic polarization of light except for handedness. A simple calibration procedure for this rotating-detector ellipsometer is given.
Azzam
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RM