A simple method for changing the state of polarization from elliptical into circular

Abstract

Changes of polarization occur as a consequence of the interaction of light and the various optical elements through which it passes. A circularly polarized light beam may change its state to slightly elliptically polarized for many reasons. To correct this is not always easy but we show a very simple method for correcting circular polarization that has changed slightly into elliptic polarization. In this paper we propose to restore the circular state of polarization of an elliptically polarized light beam back to circular by means of a glass plate properly oriented while polarization is being measured. The basic idea is to modulate the transmittances of the electric field in both the major and minor axes of the ellipse of polarization. It is done by means of glass plates at non-normal incidence. Experimental results are consistent with theory.