Imaging polarimetry with carrier frequency for the linearly birefringent media

The method presented enables the calculation of distribution of both the phase shift between eigen waves propagating in nondichroic, linearly birefringent media and the azimuth angle of the first eigen vector. The number of recorded images of the light intensity which is necessary for the calculation of birefringent properties of examined object is smaller here image polarimetry with carrier frequency than for other imaging polarimetry methods. The reduction of the number of recorded images results in the decrease of the measurement time, what is especially important in the case of objects with fast variations of optical anisotropy. The application of the liquid crystal modulators eliminates all mechanical rotating elements and additionally accelerates the measurements. The optical setup presented enables the calculation of parameters which describe nondichroic elliptically birefringent media by the use of three images of the light intensity. However, the paper presents the application of this setup to calculate parameters of nondichroic linearly birefringent objects. In this case the number of recorded images of the light intensity reduces to two.