Modulation axis performs circular motion in a 45 ° dual-drive symmetric photoelastic modulator

A 45 ° dual-drive symmetric photoelasticmodulator is demonstrated. Twopiezoelectric actuators are connected to a symmetric photoelastic crystal at an angle of 45 °. When the amplitudes of the stress standingwaves induced by the twopiezoelectric actuators are equal and the phase difference between the two stress standingwaves isπ2, the modulation axis performs circular motion with a frequency of half of the photoelastic modulator ’s resonant frequency, while the retardation remains a constant that is determined at the driving voltage amplitudes. This reveals a newpolarization modulation method. We have theoretically analyzed and experimentally observed the newpolarization modulation, and the retardationcalibration is also reported.

Source: Review of Scientific Instruments - December 8, 2016 Category: Physics Authors: K. W. Li, L. M. Wang, R. Zhang and Z. B. Wang Source Type: research