Geometric-phase polarimetry

TL;DR

This paper introduces polarimetric methods leveraging geometric phase measurements to characterize optical systems, demonstrating two interferometric techniques with proof-of-principle experiments.

Contribution

It presents novel interferometric strategies that relate the Jones matrix parameters to geometric phase, enabling system characterization.

Findings

Successful measurement of geometric phase via fringe displacement

Determination of eigenpolarisations using fringe visibility

Proof-of-principle experiments validate the techniques

Abstract

This paper describes polarimetric strategies based on measuring the light's geometric phase, which results from the evolution of the polarisation state while traversing an optical system. The system in question is described by a homogeneous Jones matrix, which by definition, contains mutually perpendicular eigenpolarisations. Our leading theory links the system's Jones matrix parameters (eigenvalues and eigenvectors) with the input polarisation state and the geometric phase. We demonstrate two interferometric techniques. The first one measures the geometric phase based on the relative lateral fringe displacement between the interference pattern of two mutually-orthogonal polarisation states. The second technique uses the visibility of the interference fringes to determine the eigenpolarisations of the system. We present proof-of-principle experiments for both techniques.