Asian Journal of Physics Vol. 34, Nos 7 & 8 (2025) 473-482

Properties of two plate compound system for circular polarized light generation

Evelina A Bibikova1,2 and Nataliya D Kundikova1,2

1Nonlinear Optics Laboratory, Institute of Electrophysics, 106 Amundsen St., Ekaterinburg, 620016, Russia

2South Ural State University, 76 Lenina Av., Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russia
Dedicated to Prof Kehar Singh on the occasion of his 84th Birthday on July 3, 2025

Nowadays, polarized light is widely used in nature and in technology. One of the most well-known types of polarization is circular polarization, and the most commonly used device for circularly polarized light generation is a quarter-wave plate. Composite polarization systems are very convenient and cheap analogues of quarter-wave plates, but they have some features that should be taken into account when using them. Here, we have reviewed the main features of the system. We have taken into account multibeam interference inside the phase plates. We have shown that using a well-known method, the system can be adjusted for circular polarization, but only for right or left circular polarization. To change the sign of the circular polarization, a readjustment of the system is required. The eigenstates of the polarization system are ellipses with different directions of circulation and with the same ellipticity, but the main axes of the ellipses are not perpendicular to each other. The eigen polarizations lag behind each other in phase when propagating through the system and have different transmission coefficients. The system is equivalent to a system of 4 elements with the simplest anisotropy mechanisms and can, therefore, be characterized by 6 effective anisotropy parameters. The effective parameters of the system were measured experimentally and are consistent with their theoretically calculated values. The polarization system can be easily constructed in any laboratory working with circularly polarized light. The proposed method of polarization system analysis opens up new possibilities for creating composite polarization systems with the required parameters. © Anita Publications. All rights reserved.
Doi: 10.54955/AJP.34.7-8.2025.473-482
Keywords: Composed polarization system, Effective polarization parameters, Generalized Jones theorem, Circularly polarized light.

Peer Review Information
Method: Single- anonymous; Screened for Plagiarism? Yes
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