Partial polarization characterization based on the Kullback relative entropy

Philippe Réfrégier; François Goudail

doi:10.1117/12.687571

5 October 2006 Partial polarization characterization based on the Kullback relative entropy

Proceedings Volume 6394, Unmanned/Unattended Sensors and Sensor Networks III; 63940V (2006) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.687571
Event: Optics/Photonics in Security and Defence, 2006, Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract

The analysis of polarization and of depolarizing capabilities of materials is a technique of growing interest in different domains of applications. This is also the case for defence and security for which the determination of material characteristics can be of great interest in remote sensing and control application. However, until now, the analysis of polarization properties has been essentially limited to second order statistical characteristics such as Stokes vectors and/or Mueller matrices. There nevertheless exist other physical properties that cannot be characterized by such second order statistical characteristics. We demonstrate that the Kullback relative entropy leads to a relevant characterization of different properties that cannot be obtained by the measurements of Stokes vectors and/or Mueller matrices. For that purpose we show how the Kullback relative entropy, which is a physically meaningful measure of proximity between probability density functions (PDF), allows one to compare a partially polarized light with different optical states of reference. In particular, for optical waves with Gaussian fluctuations, the standard degree of polarization is a simple function of the Kullback relative entropy between the considered optical light and a totally depolarized light of the same intensity. It is demonstrated that one can generalize this relation between partially polarized light and different optical states of reference in order to measure new characteristics such as a degree of anisotropy, a degree of non gaussianity and a new degree degree of non-circularity. We discuss experimental configurations that can be discriminated with these new degrees of partially polarized light.

Citation Download Citation

Philippe Réfrégier and François Goudail "Partial polarization characterization based on the Kullback relative entropy", Proc. SPIE 6394, Unmanned/Unattended Sensors and Sensor Networks III, 63940V (5 October 2006); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.687571

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
10 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Polarization

Protactinium

Anisotropy

Poincaré sphere

Matrices

Mueller matrices

Statistical analysis

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years