@inproceedings{15fd3501a48146cd8f1790f35738be58,
title = "Design, construction and calibration of the Galway Astronomical Stokes Polarimeter (GASP)",
abstract = "The Galway Astronomical Stokes Polarimeter (GASP) is an ultra-high-speed, full Stokes, astronomical imaging polarimeter based upon a Division of Amplitude Polarimeter. It has been developed to resolve extremely rapid (∼microsecond) variations in objects such as optical pulsars and magnetic CVs. The polarimeter has no moving parts or modulated components, so the complete Stokes vector can be measured from just one exposure - making it unique to astronomy - and the time required for the complete determination of the Stokes vector is limited only by detectors and photon fluxes. The polarimeter utilizes a modified Fresnel rhomb, which acts as a highly achromatic quarter wave plate and a beamsplitter (referred to as an RBS). We present a detailed description of the design process for the RBS and other optics of the polarimeter, and give a theoretical analysis of its expected performance. Calibration is an important, and difficult, issue with all polarimeters, but particularly in astronomical polarimeters. We give a detailed description of calibration techniques appropriate to this type of polarimeter - particularly a version of the Eigenvalue Calibration Method of Compain \& Drevillon.",
keywords = "Instrumentation, Polarimeter, Polarimetric calibration, Polarimetry",
author = "Patrick Collins and Redfern, \{R. Micheal\} and Brendan Sheehan",
year = "2008",
doi = "10.1063/1.2896936",
language = "English",
isbn = "9780735405035",
series = "AIP Conference Proceedings",
pages = "241--246",
booktitle = "The Universe At Sub-Second Timescales - High Time Resolution Astrophysics",
note = "The Universe at Sub-Second Timescales ; Conference date: 11-09-2007 Through 13-09-2007",
}