Patent ID: 6693710
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: G01J,G02B

Abstract:
A system for determining actual retardance of at least one point in a sample, comprisingan imaging polarimeter that produces a set of readings of the apparent retardance and the apparent fast axis orientation for the at least one point using light of selectable wavelength band; a controller for selecting a first wavelength and of light and obtaining a first set of polarimeter readings comprising a first apparent retardance and a first apparent fast axis orientation at the at least one point, and for selecting a second wavelength band of light and obtaining a second set of polarimeter readings comprising a second apparent retardance and a second apparent fast axis orientation at the at least one point; and a processor for determining accurate values of optical retardance at the at least one point using the first and second apparent retardance and the first and second apparent fast axis orientation readings at the at least one point, whereby the processor is capable of unambiguously resolving the actual retardance at the at least one point.