Mueller Polarimeter Microscope

The Mueller polarimeter is custom built on an inverted microscope frame, to allow an ease of use like a regular microscope. The polarization control elements are mounted on rotation stages to select the probing and analyzing state. This allows for the measurement of the full Mueller Matrix of the sample at each point, that comprehend for example the generalized birefringence, diattenuation and depolarization. A scanning stage is implemented as well to perform sequential acquisitions with stitching over a large field of view.

Schematic of the Mueller Polarimetric Microscope
Schematic of the Mueller Polarimetric Microscope. LP stand for Linear Polarizer and QWP for Quarter Wave Plate. PSA and PSG are respectivelly Polarization State Generator and Polarization state Analyser.
© Paul Scherrer Institute / Arthur Baroni
Example of results of Mueller polarimetric microscopy
Mueller microscopy is performed at x10/NA 0.3 on a Prussian Blue analogue crystals. From those results one can extract many polarizance properties of the sample. This figure and its close-up show the polarisation eigenmodes of the sample at every measured points. The color indicates the orientation of the eigenmode, following the inset color-wheel, and the size of the drawn eigenmode indicate the retardance of the material at this point. The scalebar is 100 um.
© Paul Scherrer Institute / Arthur Baroni

Dr. Arthur Baroni
Structure and Mechanics of Advanced Materials, Center for Photon Science
Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 56 40 44,  e-mail: arthur.baroni@psi.ch

Dr. Marianne Liebi
Structure and Mechanics of Advanced Materials, Center for Photon Science
Paul Scherrer Institute, Forschungsstrasse 111, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 56 310 44 38, e-mail: marianne.liebi@psi.ch