Real-time stokes polarimetry based on a polarisation camera

Abstract

This lab note introduces the "Stokes Camera," a simple and novel experimental arrangement for real-time measurement of spatial amplitude and polarisation and thus spatially resolved Stokes parameters. It uses a polarisation sensitive camera and a fixed quarter-wave plate, providing a one-shot, digital solution for polarisation measurement that is only limited by the frame rate of the camera and the computation speed of the provided code. The note also provides background information on relevant polarisation theory and vector vortex beams, which are used as a demonstration of the device.