Generalized Stokes polarimetry design for 3-D polarization field

Optical polarization is three-dimensional (3-D), and its complete information is described by 9-component generalized Stokes vector (GSV). However, existing Stokes polarimetry and its design theory are primarily based on paraxial 4-component Stokes vector and 4 × 4 Mueller Matrix. In this letter, we introduce a novel concept of generalized Stokes polarimetry (GSP), which can reconstruct 9 generalized Stokes parameters through a series of non-paraxial polarized modulations and intensity projections. The reconstruction theory of GSP is based on 9 × 9 generalized Mueller matrix (GMM) calculator we reported previously. In addition, to optimize the 9 × 9 analysis matrix of GSP, we developed an optimization algorithm combined Monte-Carlo and gradient descent (GD) methods, finding the optimal configuration with CN = 3.7261, EWV = 1.2405. The simulated results of noise sources and GSV reconstruction verified the significant improvement in accuracy and stability of optimized configuration.