Stokes parameters measurement of light over a wide wavelength range by judicious choice of azimuthal settings of quarter-wave plate and linear polarizer

The Stokes parameters (S_p, S₁, S₂, S₃) of light are measured at an arbitrary wavelength over a wide wavelength range. The Stokes parameters S₁ and S₂ are easily obtained. But the Stokes parameter S₃ at the arbitrary wavelength is affected by the phase difference error Δ₁ of the quarter-wave plate mismatch and the Stokes parameters S₁ or S₂. Therefore, in this paper, S₃ is obtained from both the intensity measurements by the circular polarizer rotating the quarter-wave plate by 0° and 90°. Then, S₃ is obtained by considering only Δ₁, but is not affected by S₁ and S₂. Also, though Δ₁ is not accounted for, S₃ is measured more accurately.