Complete Stokes vector analysis with a compact, portable rotating waveplate polarimeter

TL;DR

This paper introduces a compact, portable rotating waveplate polarimeter capable of complete Stokes vector analysis, offering accurate, wavelength-calibrated polarization measurements at a fraction of the cost of commercial devices.

Contribution

The authors present a low-cost, portable polarimeter with full Stokes vector analysis using a rotating waveplate, Arduino-based control, and calibration for broad wavelength range.

Findings

Achieves accurate polarization measurements over >30 nm bandwidth.

Provides a cost-effective alternative to commercial polarimeters.

Enables precise polarization analysis in a compact, portable form.

Abstract

Accurate calibration of polarization dependent optical elements is often necessary in optical experiments. A versatile polarimeter device to measure the polarization state of light is a valuable tool in these experiments. Here we report a rotating waveplate-based polarimeter capable of complete Stokes vector analysis of collimated light. Calibration of the device allows accurate measurements over a range of wavelengths, with a bandwidth of >30 nm in this implementation. A photo-interrupter trigger system supplies the phase information necessary for full determination of the Stokes vector. An Arduino microcontroller performs rapid analysis and displays the results on a liquid crystal display. The polarimeter is compact and can be placed anywhere on an optical table on a single standard post. The components to construct the device are only a fraction of the cost of commercially available devices while the accuracy and precision of the measurements are of the same order of magnitude.