Innovative static spectropolarimeter concept for wide spectral ranges: tolerancing study

TL;DR

This paper introduces an innovative, robust static spectropolarimeter concept for wide spectral ranges, suitable for space applications, and presents a tolerancing study analyzing the impact of various error sources on its optical performance.

Contribution

It proposes a novel static spectropolarimeter design based on polarization scramblers and spectral dispersion, with a comprehensive tolerancing analysis for space-based applications.

Findings

Birefringence uncertainty affects measurement accuracy

Decentering of wedges impacts polarization measurement

Design demonstrates robustness with minimal moving parts

Abstract

Developing an efficient and robust polarimeter for wide spectral ranges and space applications is a main issue in many projects. As part of the UVMag consortium created to develop UV facilities in space (e.g. the Arago mission proposed to ESA), we are studying an innovative concept of polarimeter that is robust, simple, and efficient on a wide spectral range. The idea, based on the article by Sparks et al. (2012), is to use polarization scramblers to create a spatial modulation of the polarization. Along the height of the wedges of the scramblers, the thickness of the birefringent material crossed by the light, and thus the retardance, vary continuously. This variation creates an intensity modulation of the light related to the entrance polarization state. Analyzing this modulation with a linear polarizer, and dispersing the light spectrally in the orthogonal spatial direction, enables the measurement of the full Stokes vector over the entire spectrum. This determination is performed with a single-shot measurement and without any moving parts in the system. After a quick introduction to the concept and optical design, this article presents the tolerancing study of the optical bench using this spectropolarimeter. The impact of different error sources, such as, birefringence uncertainty or decenter of the wedges, is investigated.