Abstract

Polarimetric sensing by orthogonality breaking has been recently proposed as an alternative technique for performing direct and fast polarimetric measurements using a specific dual-frequency–dual-polarization (DFDP) source. Based on the instantaneous Stokes–Mueller formalism to describe the high-frequency evolution of the DFDP beam intensity, we thoroughly analyze the interaction of such a beam with birefringent, dichroic, and depolarizing samples. This allows us to confirm that orthogonality breaking is produced by the sample diattenuation, whereas this technique is immune to both birefringence and diagonal depolarization. We further analyze the robustness of this technique when polarimetric sensing is performed through a birefringent waveguide, and the optimal DFDP source configuration for fiber-based endoscopic measurements is subsequently identified. Finally, we consider a stochastic depolarization model based on an ensemble of random linear diattenuators, which makes it possible to understand the progressive vanishing of the detected orthogonality-breaking signal as the spatial heterogeneity of the sample increases, thus confirming the insensitivity of this method to diagonal depolarization. The fact that the orthogonality-breaking signal is exclusively due to the sample dichroism is an advantageous feature for the precise decoupled characterization of such an anisotropic parameter in samples showing several simultaneous effects.

© 2016 Optical Society of America

Orthogonality breaking through few-mode optical fiber

Francois Parnet, Julien Fade, and Mehdi Alouini
Appl. Opt. 55(10) 2508-2520 (2016)

Orthogonality-breaking sensing model based on the instantaneous Stokes vector and the Mueller calculus: erratum

Noé Ortega-Quijano, Julien Fade, Muriel Roche, François Parnet, and Mehdi Alouini
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 34(8) 1383-1383 (2017)

Stokes-vector and Mueller-matrix polarimetry [Invited]

R. M. A. Azzam
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 33(7) 1396-1408 (2016)

Components of purity of a Mueller matrix

José J. Gil
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 28(8) 1578-1585 (2011)

Decomposition of Jones and Mueller matrices in terms of four basic polarization responses

Soe-Mie F. Nee
J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 31(11) 2518-2528 (2014)