PolarizationConvention¶

Type:	enum
Range:	Hauge-Berkeley, JCM, Muller-Nebraska
Default:	JCM
Appearance:	simple

There exists several competing conventions on how to measure polarization in use throughout different optics communities [1]. As outlined in the parent section ScatteringMatrix, by default the convention described in PlaneWave is used.

Other popular convention differ from this definition in three key aspects:

the time-harmonic phase dependency

the choice of sign of the fourth Stokes-parameter

whether or not the coordinate system is switched on reflection

The convention used by JCMsuite depends on the propagation direction, hence the S-polarization changes its sign in a reflection measurement. Furthermore, as noted in here the angular frequency dependence in the fields is given by $\exp {-i\omega t}$ , whereas conventions used in the ellipsometry community usually assume $\exp {i\omega t}$ . The fourth Stokes-parameter distinguishes left and right handed polarization and offers an additional choice of sign.

The additional conventions are

Muller-Nebraska
This definition [1] retains the polarization system on reflection, switches the Stokes parameter and angular frequency dependence.

Hauge-Berkeley
This definition [2] retains the polarization system on reflection and switches the angular frequency dependence.

Bibliography

[1]	(1, 2) Muller, R. H. (1969). Definitions and conventions in ellipsometry. Surface Science, 16, 14-33.

[2]	Hauge, P. S., Muller, R. H., & Smith, C. G. (1980). Conventions and formulas for using the Mueller-Stokes calculus in ellipsometry. Surface science, 96(1-3), 81-107.