Kolomiets I. Differential Mueller polarimetry of optically anisotropic non-depolarizing media

In the thesis the features of propagation of polarized light in different classes of homogeneous and inhomogeneous twisted media with complex anisotropy based on Jones and Mueller differential matrix methods are considered. The numbers of polarimetric problems using a homogeneous approach were solved. As the main tool to solve above problems the differential Jones (Mueller) matrices and vector transfer equation were used. By solving of the polarimetric forward problem for homogeneous anisotropic media, the integral Jones matrix models were developed and evolution of polarization states of light was analyzed. It was found that in homogeneous anisotropic media with complex anisotropy there are six types of such complex anisotropies different by eigenpolarizations and eigenvalues. These are: 1) elliptical birefringence; 2) hermitian dichroism; 3) nonhermitian dichroism; 4) improper dichroism; 5) degenerate anisotropy; and 6) complex anisotropy. Also the general conditions for eigenpolarizations orthogonality and the conditions under which these six types of anisotropies to be realized in scope of homogeneous approach were obtained