Patent ID: 7218398

Claim:
A method for using a computer processing device to analyze data representative of measured polarization states of a liquid crystal cell under test to determine at least one physical parameter of said liquid crystal cell under test and comprising: A) launching a beam of light having a plurality of polarization states through said liquid crystal cell 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 liquid crystal cell under test, measuring polarization states as altered by said liquid crystal cell 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 liquid crystal cell model including modeled polarization properties based on at least one estimated physical parameter of said liquid crystal cell 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 liquid crystal cell under test, E) whereby when said close match is obtained, said at least one estimated physical parameter of said liquid crystal cell model is indicative of a corresponding said physical parameter of said liquid crystal cell under test.