MUELLER MATRIX IMAGING POLARIMETRY

The design and operation of a Mueller matrix imaging polarimeter is pr esented. The instrument is configurable to make a wide variety of pola rimetric measurements of optical systems and samples. In one configura tion, it measures the polarization properties of a set of ray paths th rough a sample. The sample may comprise a single element, such as a le ns, polarizer, retarder, spatial light modulator, or beamsplitter, or an entire optical system containing many elements. In a second configu ration, it measures an optical system's point spread matrix, a Mueller matrix relating the polarization state of a point object to the distr ibution of intensity and polarization across the image. The instrument is described and a number of example measurements are provided that d emonstrate the Mueller matrix imaging polarimeter's unique measurement capability.