Apparatus and methods are disclosed for measuring polarization properties and phase information, for example as can be used in microscopy applications. According to one example of the disclosed technology, an apparatus includes a light source, an interferometer configured to receive light generated by the light source and split the received light into two split beam outputs. The split beam outputs including combined, interfering light beams. Two light sensors, each including a polarization-sensitive focal plane array receive a respective one of the split beam outputs from the interferometer. Thus, some examples of the disclosed technology allows for simultaneous or concurrent measurement of properties of light including intensity, wavelength, polarization, and phase. The polarization-sensitive focal plane array includes a number of macropixels, each of which includes superpixels having different polarization filtering properties, each of which includes one or more pixels, which comprise filters for different colors.

Device (1) for characterizing a substance (2) capable of emitting a photoluminescence radiation (Rp) in a first spectral range, the device (1) comprising: an electroluminescent component (3), at least semi-transparent in the first spectral range, and comprising first and second opposite surfaces (30, 31), the electroluminescent component (3) being suitable for emitting an excitation radiation (Re.sub.1) outgoing from the first surface (30), emitted in a first spectral range according to a circular polarization state; the excitation radiation (Re.sub.1) outgoing from the first surface (30) being able to pass through the electroluminescent component (3), after being reflected, and exit from the second surface (31); a polarization filter (4), arranged to filter the excitation radiation (Re.sub.2) outgoing from the second surface (31), and suitable for modifying the circular polarization state so as to obtain an extinguishing of the excitation radiation (Re.sub.2) outgoing from the second surface (31) of the electroluminescent component (3); a detector (5), arranged to detect the photoluminescence radiation (Rp) outgoing from the polarization filter (4).

A vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy method and apparatus that can significantly reduce the measurement time needed to acquire a differential absorption spectrum compared to known approaches. A dual-comb is generated by superimposing the outputs from two quantum cascade laser sources, thus providing a third comb interferogram with beat frequencies higher than the polarization modulation frequency. Consequently, for each of the left and right circularly polarized light, the measurement signal measures transmission through the sample across the full wavelength range of interest during each period of the polarization modulation. A complete vibrational spectrum is thus acquired in each modulation of a polarization modulator, instead of only acquiring data for a single wavelength during each modulation of the polarization, as in dispersive or tunable laser VCD, or only a single Fourier component of the spectrum, as in Fourier transform VCD.

A circular dichroism measurement device includes: a sample part having a sample; a PEM that modulates a polarization state of an incoming light to the sample part or an outgoing light from the sample part; a photo detector that detects a change in a light intensity of the outgoing light from the sample part; an amplifier that amplifies a detection signal from the photo detector; an A/D converter that converts the detection signal amplified by the amplifier to a digital signal; and a digital processing device that executes a signal processing to the digital signal from the A/D converter to acquire a measurement value of circular dichroism of the sample. The A/D converter is configured to convert the detection signal, that is amplified in a state of containing the AC component and the DC component of the light intensity that changes with the same frequency as the modulation frequency of PEM.

Provided are a cholesteric liquid crystal layer having an excellent reflection anisotropy, a low haze, and a high circular polarization degree of reflected light, and a method for producing the same. In addition, provided are a laminate, an optically anisotropic body, and a reflective film, each of which including the cholesteric liquid crystal layer. A cholesteric liquid crystal layer formed using a liquid crystal compound, in which, in at least one main plane out of a pair of main planes of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, a direction of a molecular axis of the liquid crystal compound changes while continually rotating along at least one in-plane direction, the molecular axis of the liquid crystal compound is tilted with respect to the main plane of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and an arrangement direction of bright portions and dark portions derived from the cholesteric liquid crystalline phase, as observed under a scanning electron microscope in a cross section perpendicular to the main plane, is tilted with respect to the main plane of the cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

A measurement system is disclosed. A measurement system includes an illumination module, a mirror module, a stage, and a detector. The illumination module includes a light source, an optical fiber, a collimating mirror, a polarization state generator, a beam control mirror, and a relay mirror. The mirror module includes a first beam splitter and a reflective objective mirror. The beam control mirror is movable to relay light received from the polarization state generator to various positions on the relay mirror.

A spectroscopic analysis device includes a light source configured to emit light including a plurality of wavelength components, a polarizer configured to convert the light emitted from the light source to a light of linearly polarized light to be radiated to a sample, a polarizing diffraction element configured to diffract and spectrally disperse a first polarization component included in the light having passed through the sample in a first direction, the polarizing diffraction element being configured to diffract and spectrally disperse a second polarization component included in the light in a second direction different from the first direction, a prism which is disposed on an exit side of the polarizing diffraction element and which has a first exit surface crossing the first direction and a second exit surface crossing the second direction, and in which angles of the first exit surface and the second exit surface with respect to a reference plane including the first direction and the second direction are different, an imaging element configured to capture an image of the first polarization component emitted from the first exit surface of the prism and an image of the second polarization component emitted from the second exit surface, and a processor configured to analyze the sample based on an imaging result of the imaging element.

Methods and apparatus for obtaining a vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) image using a discrete frequency infrared (DFIR) microscope are disclosed. The method includes generating a pulsed laser beam comprising a spectral frequency, which may be tunable; modulating the laser beam to generate circularly polarized light; illuminating a sample and collecting, and detecting an optical signal transmitted or transflected from the location of the sample. The detected signal is demodulated at, for example, both the pulse frequency and the sum or difference of the pulse frequency and the modulating frequency to obtain an intensity value that correspond to the absorbance, and a polarization-dependent value that corresponds to the VCD. Other configurations of the apparatus may be employed to measure VCB and VLD.

An inspection device includes: a light source for outputting pulsed excitation light with a time width of 10 picoseconds to 10 nanoseconds; a nonlinear optical crystal for generating a terahertz wave by optical wavelength conversion of the pulsed excitation light; a polarization part for reflecting at least a part of a reflected wave of the terahertz wave reflected by an inspection target; and a detector for detecting the reflected wave reflected by the polarization part.

A system and method for high-resolution polarimetric imaging can include an array of micro-cameras to simultaneously capture polarized optical information from a wide area. Polarized illumination sources can be placed below and/or above the sample to direct polarized light to the sample during image capture. Post processing can be performed on the captured images to obtain polarimetric properties of the sample.