Document #: GP-UM-POD-001-13
Page 7 of 8
Section 4. Operation Instructions
4.1 Getting started
Fig. 3. An example setup for using the PolaDetect polarimeter.
Fig. 3 illustrates an example setup using General Photonics’ PolaDetect. In the setup, an
optional reference polarization analysis instrument can be used to verify the accuracy of
the PolaDetect. An analog-to-digital converter card (A/D card) is used to convert the
analog output signals from the PolaDetect into digital signals so that a computer or
microprocessor can be used to calculate the SOP and DOP of the input light using the
following formula:
.
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎦
⎤
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎣
⎡
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎦
⎤
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎣
⎡
=
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎦
⎤
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎣
⎡
=
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎥
⎦
⎤
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎢
⎣
⎡
4
3
2
1
44
43
42
41
34
33
32
31
24
23
22
21
14
13
12
11
4
3
2
1
3
2
1
V
V
V
V
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
m
V
V
V
V
M
S
S
S
S
o
(1)
0
2
3
2
2
2
1
/
S
S
S
S
DOP
+
+
=
(2)
where V
1
, V
2
, V
3
, and V
4
are the photovoltages derived from the four photodetectors, and
M is a 4 × 4 calibration matrix. With this matrix, the calculated SOP is the SOP of the
light at the input entrance of the device. Note that
S
o
indicates the optical power at the
V
1
V
2
V
3
V
4
PolaDetect
A/D card
Reference polarization
analysis instrument
Computer
Light
source
Optional
Polarization
controller
Pol. controller
