Laser heating effect on polarization characteristics of radiation reflected by glass-reinforced silicon polymer

The Stokes parameters of He-Ne laser radiation ((lambda) equals 0.63 micrometer) reflected at the angles of incidence from 5 to 70 degrees by glass reinforced silicon polymer before and after its heating up to 1200 K by CW CO 2 -laser radiation were measured. The He-Ne laser radiation was linearly polarized either parallel, or perpendicular to the plane of incidence. It is shown that radiation reflected in the specular direction by samples illuminated at near the Brewster angle ((theta) approximately equals 56 degrees) by radiation linearly polarized in the plane of incidence contains an elliptically polarized component. Simultaneously, the change of polarization azimuth of reflected radiation is observed.