Extending the capabilities of vectorial ptychography to circular-polarizing materials such as cholesteric liquid crystals

Abstract

The problem of imaging materials with circular-polarization properties is discussed within the framework of vectorial ptychography. We demonstrate, both theoretically and numerically, that using linear polarizations to investigate such materials compromises the unicity of the solution provided by this computational method. To overcome this limitation, an improved measurement approach is proposed, which involves specific combinations of elliptical polarizations. The effectiveness of this strategy is demonstrated by numerical simulations and experimental measurements on cholesteric liquid crystal films, which possess unique polarization properties. With the help of Pauli matrices algebra, our results highlight the technique’s ability to discern between the different types of circular polarizers, uniform vs. non-uniform, and determine their handedness.