AxoScan vs. AxoStep: Which Mueller Matrix Polarization System Fits Your Measurement Task?

AxoScan and AxoStep are both Mueller matrix polarization measurement systems from Axometrics, and both measure the full Mueller matrix of a sample. The practical difference is scale and imaging: AxoScan is positioned as the fastest and most powerful polarization measurement tool for testing polarization-critical components, while AxoStep is described as the industry's first Mueller Matrix imaging microscope, built on AxoScan's measurement principles to measure polarization properties on a microscopic scale. Choose AxoScan when you need fast, flexible measurement of components and materials; choose AxoStep when the polarization detail you need is spatially resolved at microscopic scale.

The shared foundation: full Mueller matrix measurement

Both systems measure all possible polarization properties — the full Mueller matrix — of a sample. That shared capability is what makes them applicable to any task where optical polarization matters, rather than to a single fixed measurement type.

Because the output is a complete Mueller matrix, the same instrument can serve different applications depending on the analysis software applied to the data. Axometrics states that it continuously develops application-specific software to convert measured Mueller matrices into the key parameters for each application, with common examples including basic parameters and thin-film parameters.

Where the two systems differ

The distinction is not about which system measures "more" polarization properties — both capture the full Mueller matrix. It is about whether you need a microscope-style imaging instrument or a fast, powerful bench measurement tool.

How to decide

Use these questions to narrow the choice:

• Do you need spatial resolution at microscopic scale? If the polarization property varies across a small area and you need to see that variation as an image, AxoStep is the system described for that job.
• Do you need speed and flexibility on components? If you are testing polarization-critical components and want the fastest, most powerful tool in the lineup, AxoScan is the stated fit.
• Is your sample a film, panel, or optical element measured as a whole? The broader Axometrics product line covers polarizers and retarder film, large and inline LCD panels, large and inline ellipsometry, and more — so confirm whether your specific sample type maps to AxoScan, AxoStep, or another system in the portfolio.
• What analysis output do you need? Since both produce full Mueller matrices, the deciding factor may be the application-specific software that converts the matrix into the parameters your workflow requires.

What both systems are used for

Axometrics lists deployment across several key markets and a wide range of smaller markets, including:

• Liquid crystal displays
• Optical testing
• Optical films
• Biomedical applications

Application areas named on the site include LCD panel testing, polarizers, retarders and optical films, birefringence testing, LCOS panels, anisotropic thin films, and circular polarizer testing and analysis. These are application categories for the product line as a whole; match your specific measurement to the system and software configuration that supports it.

Practical next step

If you are still unsure, the deciding information is usually your required spatial resolution and throughput. Describe your sample — its size, whether the polarization property is uniform or spatially varying, and the parameters you need out — and ask Axometrics which configuration (AxoScan, AxoStep, or another system such as the large/inline options) is intended for that case. The site also offers tutorials, a polarization glossary, and further reading if you want to build background before choosing.