Abstract

Terahertz (THz) polarization measurement is attractive for applications such as the discrimination of enantiomers of biomolecules and noncontact measurements of the electronic properties of semiconductors. Polarization is frequently measured by the use of two wire-grid polarizers (WGPs) in a crossed-Nicol configuration, enabling detection of changes in the THz polarization state at sub-mrad levels. However, in this method, sensitivity of the polarization angles is restricted by the extinction ratio of the WGPs. The extinction ratio of commercially available WGPs is inferior to that of the polarizers for visible frequencies by more than two orders of magnitude, significantly limiting measurement sensitivity.

© 2015 IEEE