Error analysis of circular polarizer–analyzer systems for phase retardation measurements

The accuracy and the related advantages of circular polarizer-sample-circular analyzer systems used for measuring optical phase retardations are considered, particularly in relation to their property of having (ideally) a transmission independent of the azimuths of their components. An analysis is presented of errors resulting from retardation imperfections and azimuthal misalignments in practical systems. Important precision benefits are obtained with circular polarization systems having parallel polarizer and analyzer axes when compared with results obtained with conventional linear polarizer-sample-linear analyzer or Senarmont-type polarizer-sample-compensator-analyzer systems. The effects of temperature and wavelength variations are additionally examined and found to be comparatively weak. A discussion on the virtues and drawbacks of the above systems concludes the paper.