Spatial polarization structure of radiation formed by a retroreflector with nonmetallized faces

Abstract

A polarization-wave analysis is performed for a retroreflector with nonmetallized faces, which forms a complex pattern of radiation intensity distribution due to different shifts between the strength vector components upon total internal reflection. Using the representation of the polarization-inhomogeneous field in the form of a set of Hermite-Gaussian modes, the problem of a plane wave diffraction on a retroreflector is solved and the spatial polarization structure is calculated in both the near- and far-field zones. It is shown that the considered type of retroreflectors is preferable for application in satellite ranging