Phase-Stepping Photoelasticity by Use of Retarders with Arbitrary Retardation

摘要

The present paper describes a new phase-stepping algorithm for the analysis of isochromatics and isoclinics using retarders with arbitrary retardation. A retarder used in the proposed method is not necessarily a quarter-wave plate specified for the wavelength of the light used. Not only the isochro-matic and isoclinic parameters but also the retardation of the input and output retarders are determined simultaneously by the proposed phase-stepping method. Thus, accurate analysis can be performed by the proposed method even if accurate quarter-wave plates are not used. In addition, any wavelength of visible light can be used in a single polariscope without requiring matching the wavelength of the quarter-wave plate. Thus, a multi-wavelength technique is easily combined with the proposed method for accuracy improvement, phase-unwrapping, or correction of ambiguity.