New compensation method for bulk optical sensors with multiple birefringences.

The dielectric tensor of an anisotropic crystal with multiple perturbations is presented to include the effects of multiple perturbations. To study electromagnetic wave propagation in anisotropic crystals subject to various influences the perturbed dielectric tensor is substituted into Maxwell's equation. Then, a 2 x 2 transmission matrix formalism, based on a normal-mode approach, is extended to anisotropic crystals possessing multiple birefringences to develop compensation schemes for ac optical sensors employing the crystal. It is shown that a new compensation method utilizing two analyzers can eliminate the effects of both unwanted linear birefringences and unwanted circular birefringences on the stability of the ac bulk polarimetric optical sensor. The conditions (here referred to as the quenching condition) in which the compensation method becomes important are also derived for both the voltage (or electric field) and current (or magnetic field) sensors.