A laboratory of polarization in a master degree of photonics

Abstract

Polarimetric techniques are widespread employed in many research fields as optics, medicine or biology. In this sense, the use of polarimeters has significantly increased, being a tool with huge perspectives of future. As a consequence, the spreading of the basic knowledge of this topic becomes interesting for many professionals and a master studies is an excellent environment to this aim. We are participating in a mandatory laboratory subject (Laboratory of Optics, LO) of a Master degree in Photonics with an experiment on polarization. In particular, the main structure of the experiment has been built around of a polarimeter set-up. Basically, we use a He-Ne laser beam, a polarization state generator and a polarization state detector. The experimental measurements are acquired by means of a photometer connected to a computer and processed by an own developed software. It allows us to obtain a complete description of any polarizing element tested. In combination with the laboratory work, it is provided a mathematical description of the polarization theory, the Stokes-Mueller formalism, which gives us the base required for a fully understand of the experiment. Throughout this work, we explain the polarimeter experiment structure and the achievements reached by students. We want to emphasize that a different degree of expertise and knowledge in function of the specific background of every student is provided. However, a minimum knowledge level is reached for all students, including among others, the improvement in the scientific, communicative or interdisciplinary competences. © ETOP 2009.