10kS/s Broadband
Polarization Analyzer |
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The Polarflash PF-9 universal polarimeter is an industry
breakthrough in performance and price. It provides ten thousand polarization
samples per second at the same cost as slow sequential polarimeters or at
a fraction of parallel narrow-band polarimeters. It offers:
- Full Polarization State determination of partially polarized light:
degree of polarization, Stokes parameters, elliptical parameters
- <0.001 ms measurement time and 10,000 polarization states per second
- 900 to 1800 nm coverage
- Real-time graphical display on Poincare sphere, elliptical projection, and
time scan (scope mode)
- External trigger for transient measurements
- Fiber-optic and open beam input
- Simple USB cable connection to any PC
- Continuous logging and export to popular databases
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The Polarflash instrument uses four simultaneous channels
to acquire the four Stokes parameters and measure any arbitrary polarization.
The four channels are sampled with track and hold circuitry with less than
1 microsecond acquisition time. As a result, it performs measurements one
thousand times faster than single-channel polarimeters that mechanically
rotate a filter or waveplate.
The "circular-polarization" channel uses a wavelength independent
internal-reflection retarder instead of a birefringent plate, providing broad
wavelength coverage in the same detection head. It is a cost effective option
for labs working at many wavelengths. A user-friendly interface allows the
user to calibrate the instrument at his specific working wavelength.
It is the first instrument that allows polarization noise measurements without
aliasing artifacts, polarization modulation studies, or transient and periodic
data acquisition with external trigger synchronization. |
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Polarflash provides a complete set of real-time numerical
and graphical displays. It plots the normalized state vector on a Poincare
sphere that the user interactively rotates and makes solid or transparent.
The user can also select the persistence of the trace and its width.
A simultaneous plot shows that State of Polarization (SOP) as the vectorial
ellipse and the numerical value of its azimuth and ellipticity (selectable
as a ratio or in degrees). The degree of total polarization (DOP), linear
polarization (DLP), and circular polarization (DOC), as well as the Stokes
parameters are displayed numerically and as bar-graphs.
Polarflash can also display the coherence matrix and extinction ratios.
Oscilloscope-type and chart-type graphs display the stokes and elliptical
parameters vs. time up to the full speed of the polarimeter. |
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| Polarflash connects to any laptop or desktop computer running
Windows 98 with a standard USB port, using a cable up to 5 meters (15 ft.)
long. There is no need to open the computer to install any cards. Data logging
is automatically performed and can be exported to popular programs such as
Microsoft Excel. |
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Some examples of possible applications of Polarflash
PF9 are:
- Coupling into polarization maintaining (PM) optical fibers
- Birefringent axes and retardance determination
- Fiber-optic sensors
- PDL (polarization dependent loss) and PMD measurements
- Interferometry setup
- Depolarization evaluation
- Liquid crystal display (LCD) development
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| Specifications subject to change without
notice |
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