Unlike ellipsometry using light, ellipsometry using microwaves can be subject to significant standing wave effects resulting from reflection of the received wave back to the source. This paper examines these effects on the apparent homogeneity of circular polarization. These effects are examined experimentally using an ellipsometer with no sample and compared with calculated results for a single order of reflection. Good agreement is obtained. That the peak-to-peak variations in the observed irradiance are on the order of four times the amplitude reflectance is observed. The angular dependencies of these effects are path length dependent.
2. Hertl, S., G. Schaffar, and H. Storl, "Contactless determination of the properties of water films on roads," J. Phys. E (Sci. Instrum.), Vol. 21, 955-958, 1988.
doi:10.1088/0022-3735/21/10/010
3. Sagnard, F., F. Bentabet, and C. Vignat, "Theoretical study of method based on ellipsometry for measurement of complex permittivity of materials," Electronics Letters, Vol. 36, 1843-1845, 2000.
doi:10.1049/el:20001313
4. Tsuzkiyama, K., T. Sakai, T. Yamazaki, and O. Hashimoto, "Ellipsometry for measurement of complex dielectric permittivity in millimeter-wave region ," Conf. Proc. 33rd European Microwave Conference, 487-490, 2003.
doi:10.1109/EUMA.2003.340996
5. Mochizuki, S. and T. Sakurai, "Electrical conduction of MgO doped with CR at high temperatures in oxidizing atmosphere," Phys. Stat. Sol., Vol. 41, 411-415, 1977.
doi:10.1002/pssa.2210410208
6. Van Vliet, A. H. F. and T. de Graauw, "Quarter wave plates for submillimeter wavelengths," Int. J. Infrared and Millimeter Waves, Vol. 2, 465-476, 1981.
doi:10.1007/BF01007414
7. Hecht, E. and A. Zajac, "Optics," Addison-Wesley, Reading Mass., 1974.