Process and apparatus for measuring degree of polarization and angle of major axis of polarized beam of light
US5357342A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 30, 1992 |
| Grant date | Oct 18, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 30, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01J4/00
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Apparatus and process are disclosed for calibrating measurements of the phase of the polarization of a polarized beam and the angle of the polarized optical beam's major axis of polarization at a diagnostic point with measurements of the same parameters at a point of interest along the polarized beam path prior to the diagnostic point. The process is carried out by measuring the phase angle of the polarization of the beam and angle of the major axis at the point of interest, using a rotatable polarizer and a detector, and then measuring these parameters again at a diagnostic point where a compensation apparatus, including a partial polarizer, which may comprise a stack of glass plates, is disposed normal to the beam path between a rotatable polarizer and a detector. The partial polarizer is then rotated both normal to the beam path and around the axis of the beam path until the detected phase of the beam polarization equals the phase measured at the point of interest. The rotatable polarizer at the diagnostic point may then be rotated manually to determine the angle of the major axis of the beam and this is compared with the measured angle of the major axis of the beam at the point…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.