Depolarization classification of metallic and dielectric targets

The reflection polarization properties of a given target evolve according to its surface state and to the illumination angle. The depolarization after reflection produced by an iron target whose surface was progressively debased was studied: its initial surface was polished up to one micron. These results were compared to the depolarization obtained from one Tenon sample and one dark dielectric. In the Teflon sample depolarization is due to volume diffusion whereas in dielectric surface and volume are involved in this process. Polarization is described in the Stokes-Mueller formalism; the matrix obtained was computed to give the degree of polarization for all incident pure-polarization states. Each sample was measured under different angles of incidence. Noise was reduced by a statistical method to optimize the matrix elements. The results are first presented in a global matrix form then, the depolarization phenomenon is analyzed and one classification technique is applied.