axometrics.com

Mueller matrix polarization metrology is the measurement of a sample's complete polarization response — not just one property like retardance or diattenuation, but the full set of polarization behaviors it exhibits. Axometrics builds measurement systems that capture this full Mueller matrix and then convert it into the specific parameters each application needs. It matters most when you work with polarization-critical components and need to understand all of their properties rather than a single number.

What the Mueller matrix actually captures

A Mueller matrix is a 4×4 description of how a sample transforms polarized light. In practice, that means one measurement can reveal:

• Retardance (birefringence) and its orientation
• Diattenuation (how differently the sample absorbs or transmits different polarization states)
• Depolarization (how much polarization purity is lost)
• Polarization rotation and other coupled effects

Because these properties often interact, measuring them separately can miss cross-effects. Capturing the full matrix in one pass is what lets you characterize a sample completely instead of inferring one property while assuming the others.

How Axometrics approaches it

Axometrics describes itself as a specialist in Mueller matrix polarization metrology, with systems for R&D laboratories, quality control, and production. Its two core instrument families are:

Both systems measure the full Mueller matrix of a sample. Axometrics also supplies supporting hardware and reference materials — light sources (MALT-1, TVS-2, LED-1), calibration and polarization standards, wavelength verification, and thin-film test standards — plus software, including application-specific analysis packages.

What it's used for

The company lists applications spanning several markets, including liquid crystal displays, optical testing, optical films, and biomedical work. Concrete measurement tasks named in its materials include:

• Birefringence mapping
• Polarizer and retarder testing
• LCD cell gap testing
• Thin-film measurement
• LCOS panel testing
• Anisotropic thin films
• Circular polarizer testing and analysis

The common thread: these are cases where you need to flexibly use polarization elements and understand all of their properties, not just one.

How to decide if this fits your work

Choose a full Mueller matrix approach when your sample has multiple or coupled polarization effects, when you don't know in advance which property will dominate, or when you need imaging across a microscopic area. A single-property instrument may be simpler and cheaper if you only ever need one well-defined parameter and your sample's other polarization behavior is known to be negligible.

If you want to go deeper, Axometrics publishes tutorials, a polarization glossary, and further reading on its site — useful starting points before committing to a measurement setup.

Axometrics is a company that specializes in Mueller matrix polarization metrology — measurement systems that determine the polarization properties of materials and optical components. It provides polarization measurement instruments (AxoScan, AxoStep, EllipsoStep, and large/inline systems), calibration standards, light sources, and application-specific analysis software. Its systems are aimed at R&D laboratories, quality control, and production environments, with particular relevance to LCD panel testing, polarizer and retarder film measurement, birefringence testing, LCOS panels, anisotropic thin films, and circular polarizer testing and analysis.

What "Mueller matrix polarization metrology" means here

A Mueller matrix is a complete description of how a sample changes the polarization state of light passing through or reflecting off it. Instead of measuring one property at a time, an instrument that captures the full Mueller matrix can derive all of a sample's polarization properties in one measurement.

Axometrics states that its AxoScan and AxoStep systems measure the full Mueller matrix of samples, and that this makes them applicable to any situation where optical polarization matters. The company positions itself as the worldwide leader in Mueller matrix measurement systems for determining polarization properties of materials and optical components.

Products

The product line is organized into polarimeters and ellipsometers, lab systems (AxoScan, AxoStep, EllipsoStep), large and inline measurement systems, light sources, calibration standards, and software.

Applications

Axometrics lists the following application areas:

• LCD panel testing
• Polarizers, retarders, and optical films
• Birefringence testing
• LCOS panels
• Anisotropic thin films
• Circular polarizer testing and analysis

The company also names liquid crystal displays, optical testing, optical films, and biomedical as key markets, and notes deployment across several key markets plus a wide range of smaller markets.

Software and analysis

Axometrics develops analysis software driven by customer requirements. The purpose of this software is to convert measured Mueller matrices into the key parameters for each application — for example, basic parameters or thin-film parameters. This matters because a raw Mueller matrix is not directly the number a production or R&D engineer needs; the application-specific software does that conversion.

Who it is for

The systems target R&D laboratories, quality control, and production. They are described as especially useful to those who need to flexibly use polarization elements and who need to understand all of their properties — that is, users who cannot get by with a single-property measurement.

Practical notes before you evaluate

• The site does not publish pricing, so cost and purchasing terms are not determinable from the available information.
• If your task is measuring one known property of a simple sample, a full-Mueller-matrix system may be more capability than you need; if your task is characterizing an unknown or multi-property polarization component, the full-matrix approach is the relevant category.
• For inline or large-panel production use, look at the Large & Inline Measurement line rather than the lab systems.
• For microscope-scale polarization imaging, AxoStep is the listed option.

The site also offers resources including tutorials, a polarization glossary, and further reading, which are useful starting points if you need background before choosing an instrument.

Axometrics builds Mueller matrix polarization measurement systems for R&D laboratories, quality control, and production environments. According to the company, its systems are used in four key markets — liquid crystal displays, optical testing, optical films, and biomedical — and can be applied to any situation where optical polarization matters. The specific tasks listed on its site include LCD panel testing, polarizer/retarder/optical film testing, birefringence testing, LCOS panel testing, anisotropic thin-film measurement, and circular polarizer testing and analysis.

Industries Axometrics serves

The company describes itself as a worldwide leader in Mueller matrix measurement systems for determining the polarization properties of materials and optical components. Its products are aimed at users who need to flexibly use polarization elements and understand all of their properties — not just a single parameter.

Specific measurement applications

Axometrics lists these applications on its site:

• LCD panel testing — including cell gap testing
• Polarizers, retarders, and optical films — measuring the polarization properties of these components
• Birefringence testing — mapping birefringence in samples
• LCOS panels — polarization testing of liquid-crystal-on-silicon panels
• Anisotropic thin films — thin-film measurement where polarization behavior is direction-dependent
• Circular polarizer testing and analysis

The underlying capability is the same across all of them: AxoScan and AxoStep systems measure the full Mueller matrix of a sample, which captures all possible polarization properties. Application-specific software then converts those measured Mueller matrices into the key parameters for each use case. Axometrics says it develops this software continuously based on customer requirements, and names basic parameters and thin-film parameters among its most common software outputs.

Which system fits which task

Two product lines appear in the source material:

• AxoScan — described as the fastest and most powerful polarization measurement tool the company offers, trusted for testing polarization-critical components. It is the industry's most-trusted polarization measurement system per Axometrics, and can measure polarization properties on a microscopic scale.
• AxoStep — described as the industry's first Mueller Matrix imaging microscope, built on AxoScan's measurement principles. Choose it when you need imaging of polarization properties across a sample rather than single-point measurement.

Both measure the full Mueller matrix. The practical difference is the imaging microscope capability of AxoStep versus the speed and measurement power positioning of AxoScan.

How to decide whether Axometrics fits your case

The site's own framing gives a usable test: if optical polarization is important to your application, the systems can be applied to it. Concretely, that means you should look at Axometrics if your work involves:

• Production or R&D testing of LCD or LCOS panels
• Incoming or process inspection of polarizers, retarders, or optical films
• Birefringence mapping in materials
• Characterizing anisotropic thin films
• Testing and analyzing circular polarizers

If your measurement need is limited to a single polarization parameter rather than full Mueller matrix characterization, the broader capability may exceed what you need — the value proposition here is measuring all polarization properties of a sample in one system.

For pricing, configuration, and whether a specific sample type is supported, the source page does not provide those details; contact Axometrics directly through the contact information on axometrics.com.

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.

Axometrics provides two categories of software—standard software and application-specific analysis software—plus three families of calibration standards: polarization standards, wavelength verification standards, and thin-film test standards. The application software converts measured Mueller matrices into the key parameters each application needs, so the right choice depends on what you are measuring (basic polarization parameters, thin films, LCD panels, and so on). Calibration standards are what keep those measurements traceable and repeatable over time.

Software

Standard Software

Every AxoScan and AxoStep system ships with standard software for acquiring and handling Mueller matrix measurements. This is the baseline layer: it drives the instrument and produces the full Mueller matrix of a sample, from which all polarization properties can be derived.

Application-Specific Software

Because a raw Mueller matrix is not directly useful to most production or R&D teams, Axometrics develops application-specific analysis software that converts measured matrices into the parameters relevant to a given task. The company states it develops this software continuously, driven by customer requirements. Commonly cited application areas include:

• Basic parameters — the fundamental polarization quantities of a sample
• Thin-film parameters — derived properties for anisotropic thin films
• LCD panel testing — measurements tied to display production and R&D
• Polarizers, retarders, and optical films
• Birefringence testing
• LCOS panels
• Circular polarizer testing and analysis

The practical takeaway: if your task is one of the listed applications, ask which application-specific package covers it, since the standard software alone may not output the parameter you report against.

Calibration Standards

Axometrics lists three types of calibration standards:

These are used to verify that a system is measuring correctly and to keep results comparable across instruments and over time. For labs running production QC, wavelength verification and polarization standards are typically part of a routine check schedule; thin-film test standards matter most when the application is film characterization.

How to Choose

• R&D lab exploring new polarization elements → standard software plus the application package matching your element type (polarizer, retarder, film, LCOS).
• Production or QC environment → the application-specific software for your product line, plus polarization and wavelength verification standards for ongoing checks.
• Thin-film work → thin-film application software and thin-film test standards together.

Axometrics does not publish pricing or licensing details on the pages reviewed here, so confirm software packaging, licensing terms, and standard availability directly with the company for your specific system and application.