Spectral Modulation, or Ripple, in Retardation Plates for Linear and Circular Polarization
Open Access
- 1 October 2001
- journal article
- research article
- Published by IOP Publishing in Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
- Vol. 113 (788) , 1300-1305
- https://doi.org/10.1086/323356
Abstract
High‐resolution spectropolarimetry sometimes suffers from a spectral modulation in polarization and position angle. It is shown that this artifact can be attributed to multiple reflections within the plates of the wave plate assembly and that the effect is inherent to the use of wave plates except at the design wavelength. The treatment given applies to strictly plane‐parallel wave plate elements and complete coherence, and consequently the predicted ripple amplitudes are upper limits. It is possible that plates of poorer optical quality will not show this effect so prominently, but otherwise a simple modification to normal observing practice can be used to eliminate the ripple.Keywords
This publication has 6 references indexed in Scilit:
- Spectropolarimetric Constraints on the Nature of the 3.4 Micron Absorber in the Interstellar MediumThe Astrophysical Journal, 1999
- Astronomical PolarimetryPublished by Cambridge University Press (CUP) ,1996
- Interstellar Polarization from CO and XCN Mantled Grains: A Severe Test for Grain Alignment MechanismsThe Astrophysical Journal, 1996
- A Search for Polarization in Diffuse Interstellar Bands toward HD 197770The Astrophysical Journal, 1995
- Ellipsometric Errors Due to Multiple Reflections in Mica Quarter-Wave PlatesJournal of the Optical Society of America, 1967
- Interference Effect in Quarter-Wave PlatesJournal of the Optical Society of America, 1964