Patent ID: 8325340

Claim:
A method for using a computer processing device to analyze data representative of measured polarization states of a polarization-altering element under test to determine at least one physical parameter of said polarization-altering element under test and comprising: A) launching a beam of light having a plurality of polarization states through said polarization-altering element under test, each polarization state of said plurality of polarization states having different orientation, ellipticity and handedness from other said polarization states of said plurality of polarization states, B) after said plurality of polarization states pass through said polarization-altering element under test, measuring polarization states as altered by said polarization-altering element under test at selected points along launched said plurality of polarization states, and converting measured said polarization states into said data representative of said measured polarization states, C) in a computer processing device, developing a polarization-altering element model including modeled polarization properties based on at least one estimated physical parameter of said polarization-altering element under test, D) using said data representative of said measured polarization states, adjusting said computer model until a close match is obtained between said modeled polarization properties and polarization properties of said polarization-altering element under test, E) whereby when said close match is obtained, said at least one estimated physical parameter of said polarization-altering element model is indicative of a corresponding said physical parameter of said polarization-altering element under test.