Apparatus and method for measuring the magnitude of polarization of light
US4269511A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 15, 1979 |
| Grant date | May 26, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 15, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02F1/1313
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An accurate, relatively low cost and reliable apparatus and method for measuring the magnitude or degree of polarization of light, particularly adaptable to the measurement of fluorescence polarization. An electric field in sequentially applied to a field-effect liquid crystal to sequentially apply respective perpendicular polarization components from a light source to a fixed polarizer having a fixed plane of polarization. The respective polarization components are sequentially applied to detector and measuring apparatus for determining the magnitude of polarization. Memory means are included for storing a correction factor to compensate for polarization rotation errors due to the liquid crystal. Stored in the memory means is a correction factor for a range of measured values, the correction factor being obtained by direct comparisons with expected values for known polarizations.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.