Product decompositions of experimentally determined non-depolarizing Mueller matrices

The practical implementation of a recently proposed decomposition of non-depolarizing Mueller matrices into a product of basic polarization devices, i.e. retarders and diattenuators, is demonstrated. In particular, the interest of factorizing a non-depolarizing Mueller matrix into elementary optical components (two wave-plates and a plane ellipsometric surface) allowing for its straightforward physical interpretation is outlined. The features of the novel decomposition are compared to those of the classic polar decomposition currently in use. Experimental spectroscopic Mueller matrices are factorized using the decomposition and interpreted in terms of meaningful physical parameters. An immediate practical application of the novel product decomposition is identified with the in situ measurement of the ellipsometric angles through birefringent windows.