The application of de-polarization analysis to polarimetric characterization and classification of metallic and dielectric samples

Reflection polarization transformations by a given sample depends both on the composition and surface state and on the illumination angle. In the present work, the evolution of polarization transformation given by dielectric samples and metallic surfaces has been studied. The initial metallic surface was polished up to 1 mu m and then progressively debased. The polarimetric characteristics are described by using the Mueller matrix, which provides the depolarization index, namely the mean depolarization power, and the degree of polarization for all the pure incident states of polarization. The polarization of each sample is measured for various angles of incidence. The noise is reduced by a statistical method to optimize the matrix elements. The results obtained are first presented in a global matrix form and then the depolarization phenomenon is analysed. In the last step the studied samples are characterized and classified.