Allowance for the imperfection of optical elements and inaccuracy in the initial adjustment of the rotating phase plate in a stokes polarimeter

For a Stokes polarimeter with a rotating phase plate, formulas were obtained for calculating the polarization characteristics and their systematic errors caused by the departure of the anisotropy parameters of the optical elements used from ideal ones and also by the deflection of the initial position of the phase plate "fast" axis from the analyzer transmission axis. The manifestation of the mentioned factors in the systematic errors of determining the polarization characteristics of radiation of different forms of polarization is considered. The results of model calculations have been confirmed by experimental data.