A CCD-based polarization interferometric technique for testing waveplates

Abstract

A CCD-based polarization interferometric technique is developed to test waveplates. A Babinet compensator is used to produce interference fringes for polarized input and the retardance introduced by the waveplate when inserted in the optical beam is calculated from the fringe shifts using the phase matching technique. A theoretical model is fitted with the observed fringe shifts to get an accuracy of 0.5° in the retardance calculation. The experimental set-up and the measurement of retardance for zero-order and high-order quarter waveplates are discussed. The retardance calculation for a zero-order waveplate is found to be more accurate than the high-order waveplate. This technique can also be used to measure an arbitrary amount of retardance produced by any birefringent waveplate and also to determine its optic axis direction.