Reflection-induced linear polarization rotation and phase modulation between orthogonal waves for refractive index...

Area of Science:

• Optical Physics
• Interferometry
• Sensing Technology

Background:

• Reflection-induced linear polarization rotation is a phenomenon studied in optical systems.
• Common-path interferometers offer stability advantages but require precise phase interrogation.
• Accurate measurement of refractive index variations is crucial for chemical and biological sensing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and investigate an optical phase interrogation technique for common-path homodyne interferometry.
• To demonstrate the application of this method for measuring refractive index variations in liquid solutions.
• To analyze the performance and advantages of the proposed sensing scheme.

Main Methods:

• Development of an optical phase interrogation strategy within a common-path homodyne interferometer.
• Theoretical analysis of the refractive index sensing structure's performance.
• Experimental validation using the proposed homodyne interferometer setup.

Main Results:

• The proposed optical phase interrogation effectively studies reflection-induced linear polarization rotation.
• Experimental results confirm the system's capability for accurate refractive index sensing of liquid solutions.
• The homodyne interferometer demonstrated superior performance with fewer optical elements than heterodyne systems.

Conclusions:

• The developed optical phase interrogation method is a viable technique for refractive index sensing.
• The common-path homodyne interferometer offers a simplified and efficient platform for such measurements.
• This approach presents a promising advancement in optical sensing technologies.