Measuring optical activity with unpolarized light: ghost polarimetry

Restuccia, S. , Gibson, G. M. , Cronin, L. and Padgett, M. J. (2022) Measuring optical activity with unpolarized light: ghost polarimetry. Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, 106(6), 062601. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevA.106.062601)

Abstract

Quantifying the optical activity of a sample requires the precise measurement of the rotation of the plane of linear polarization of the transmitted light. Central to this notion is that the sample needs to be exposed to light of a defined polarization state. We show that by using a polarization-entangled photon source we can measure optical activity whilst illuminating a sample with unpolarized light. This not only allows for low light measurement of optical activity but also allows for the analysis of samples that would otherwise be perturbed if subjected to polarized light.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gibson, Dr Graham and Padgett, Professor Miles and Restuccia, Dr Sara and Cronin, Professor Lee
• Authors: Restuccia, S., Gibson, G. M., Cronin, L., and Padgett, M. J.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Chemistry; College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
• Publisher: American Physical Society
• ISSN: 2469-9926
• ISSN (Online): 2469-9934
• Published Online: 01 December 2022
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2022 American Physical Society
• First Published: First published in Physical Review A: Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics 106(6): 062601
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy

Related URLs

• Pre-print

• Data DOI: 10.5525/gla.researchdata.1366

Project Code	Award No	Project Name	Principal Investigator	Funder's Name	Funder Ref	Lead Dept
303747		Digital-Chemical-Robotics for Translation of Code to Molecules and Complex Chemical Systems	Leroy Cronin	Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)	EP/S019472/1	Chemistry
308508		Quantum Mechanics in a Rotating World	Miles Padgett	Leverhulme Trust (LEVERHUL)	RPG-2020-197	P&S - Physics & Astronomy