Attenuation characteristics of a light attenuator combined by polarizers with different extinction ratios

作者：Huang Chong; Deng Peng; Zhao Shuang; Chen Hai Qing^*

来源：Chinese Physics B, 2011, 20(8): 084209.

DOI：10.1088/1674-1056/20/8/084209

• light attenuator
• polarizer
• extinction ratio
• Jones vector

This paper deals with a systematical analysis and an algorithm of attenuation characteristics of a light attenuator combined by n pieces of polarizers (n-LACP) whose extinction ratios are different from each other. The attenuation ratio expression of a two-LACP is deduced. We find that the monotonic attenuation interval depends on the first polarizer and that the attenuation range depends on the second one. For the three-LACP, a method for obtaining a monotonic attenuation interval is proposed. Moreover, the attenuation ratio expression is demonstrated. Analysis and experiment show that when the initial status of the three-LACP is at the maximum output, if the second or third polarizer rotates alone, the minimum attenuation ratios can reach K(2)(-1) and K(3)(-1), respectively, and if the first polarizer rotates, a minimum attenuation ratio of K(2)(-1) K(3)(-1) can be obtained (K(1), K(2) and K(3) represent the extinction ratios of the three polarizers in turn). Furthermore, the attenuation ratio expression of n-LACP and the relevant attenuation characteristics are proposed. The minimum attenuation ratio of an n-LACP is (K(2)K(3) ... K(n))(-1).

• 出版日期2011-8
• 单位华中科技大学