Sheet polarizers were invented by Land in the 1920s. The fabrication of the type of sheet polarizers we use today, i.e. H-sheet polarizers, was described in the basic H-sheet patent issued in 1948. Single polarizer transmittance, and parallel pair and crossed pair transmittance are typically quoted for these polarizers. In this paper we describe spectropolarimetric measurement results for a variety of commercial sheet polarizer and sheet retarder materials. The measurements cover the nominal spectral region for the polarization elements but also describe performance well beyond the advertised range. Mueller matrices for the elements were measured, and diattenuation and retardance for both polarizers and retarders are presented.
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