StokesMuellerformalisme

StokesMuellerformalisme refers to a mathematical framework used to describe the polarization properties of light. It combines the Stokes vector, which represents the polarization state of light, with the Mueller matrix, which describes how a diattenuating or birefringent optical element affects polarized light. The Stokes vector is a four-component column vector, typically denoted as S = [S0, S1, S2, S3]^T, where S0 represents the total intensity of light, S1 describes the degree of linear polarization along the horizontal or vertical axis, S2 represents the degree of linear polarization along the diagonal axis, and S3 indicates the degree of circular polarization. The Mueller matrix is a 4x4 matrix, denoted as M, that transforms an incident Stokes vector S_in into an emergent Stokes vector S_out through the equation S_out = M * S_in. This formalism is widely employed in optics, ellipsometry, and remote sensing to analyze and characterize optical phenomena and materials. It allows for a complete description of how light's polarization is modified by various optical components, such as polarizers, waveplates, and reflective or transmissive surfaces. The elements of the Mueller matrix themselves provide information about the optical properties of the material or device, including diattenuation, retardance, and depolarization.