Phase-stepping photoelasticity by with arbitrary retardation

The present paper describes a new phase-stepping algorithm for the analysis of isochromatics and isoclinics using retarders with arbitrary retardation. A retarder used in the proposed method is not necessarily a quarter-wave plate specified for the wavelength of the light used. Not only the isochromatic and isoclinic parameters but also the retardation of the input and output retarders are determined simultaneously by the proposed phase-stepping method. Thus, accurate analysis can be performed by the proposed method even if accurate quarter-wave plates are riot used. In addition, any wavelength of visible light can be used in a single polariscope without requiring matching the wavelength of the quarter-wave plate. Thus, a multi-wavelength technique is easily combined with the proposed method for accuracy improvement, phase-unwrapping, or correction of ambiguity.