Patent ID: 7443503
Filing Date: 2008-10-28
Classification: G01J,G02B

Abstract:
1. A polarization measuring apparatus comprising: an optical branching section that branches an input signal light into a plurality of signal lights; a plurality of optical elements arranged on a plurality of branched optical paths through which the signal lights branched by said optical branching section are propagated, respectively, for providing the signal lights with polarizations and phase shifts, which are different for each signal light; and a plurality of light receiving elements receiving the signal lights respectively propagated through said branched optical paths, to detect the powers of the signal lights, wherein, the elements adjacent to each other of said optical elements and said light receiving element arranged on the same branched optical path, are arranged to be inclined to each other so that a light emission plane of the element positioned on a former stage and a light incident plane of the element located on a latter stage are not substantially in parallel, so as to not generate substantial multi-reflection between adjacent elements, and there is provided a shielding section that prevents a stray light generated by the reflection of the signal light between the elements where said light incident and emission planes are arranged to be inclined to each other, from reaching said light receiving element located on another branched optical paths which is different from the branched optical path concerned.