Polarization properties of PLZT under applied voltage measured by dual-rotating retarder polarimeter.

PLZT is a transparent piezoelectric polycrystal usually used for controlling the polarization of a light by an applied voltage. However, PLZT has some disadvantages that it is difficult to obtain polarization properties in detail. The reason for the problem is that when a polarized light induced into PLZT, there are depolarization by scattering in the crystal grain boundary. To evaluate optical properties of PLZT, we have measured its Mueller matrices under applied voltages by using the dual-rotating retarder polarimeter proposed by Azzam. For analysis of detailed polarization properties, we have decomposed its Mueller matrices by the decomposition algorithm given by Chipman. Birefringence and depolarization of PLZT depend on applied voltage. And depolarization ratio rapidly decrease when applied voltage is in the specific range.