Validity of the product rule and its impact on the accuracy of a Mueller matrix polarimeter

In this work, we analyze the validity of the product rule and its impact on the accuracy of a Mueller matrix polarimeter. We demonstrate that the validity of the rule is essential to perform accurate measurements. The conditions for this rule to be valid in relation to different depolarization mechanisms are also discussed. The theoretical predictions are then experimentally verified by analyzing appropriately selected samples. Finally, we implement a real Mueller matrix polarimeter to show how its accuracy decreases when the product rule is not valid.