Note: In the definitions that follow, text in <angle brackets> are placeholders for values that you must supply.

[beam]
# beam definition goes here
polarization = <polarization>
<polarization-specific keys>

[[elements]]
<element definition>

[[elements]]
<element definition>

...

• angle
  • Takes an integer or floating point number.
• angle_units
  • "degrees"
  • "radians"

Example:

angle = 0
angle_units = "degrees"

Phases are really just angles, so they follow exactly the same rules as angles.

• phase
  • Takes an integer or floating point number.
• phase_units
  • "degrees"
  • "radians"

Example:

phase = 3.141
phase_units = "radians"

• handedness
  • "left"
  • "right"

Example:

[beam]
polarization = "circular"
handedness = "left"

• polarization
  • "linear"
  • "circular"
  • "elliptical"

Example:

[beam]
polarization = "circular"
handedness = "left"

[beam]
polarization = "linear"
angle = <number>
angle_units = <angle units>

Example:

[beam]
polarization = "linear"
angle = 0
angle_units = "degrees"

[beam]
polarization = "circular"
handedness = <handedness>

Example:

[beam]
polarization = "circular"
handedness = "left"

[beam]
polarization = "elliptical"
x_mag = <number>
x_phase = <number>
y_mag = <number>
y_phase = <number>
phase_units = <angle units>

Example:

[beam]
polarization = "elliptical"
x_mag = 1
x_phase = 0
y_mag = 1
y_phase = 3.141
phase_units = "radians"

• element_type
  • "polarizer"
  • "retarder"
  • "rotator"
  • "qwp"
  • "hwp"

Example:

[[elements]]
element_type = "polarizer"
angle = 0
angle_units = "degrees"

[[elements]]
element_type = "polarizer"
angle = <number>
angle_units = <angle units>

Example:

[[elements]]
element_type = "polarizer"
angle = 0
angle_units = "degrees"

[[elements]]
element_type = "rotator"
angle = <number>
angle_units = <angle units>

Example:

[[elements]]
element_type = "rotator"
angle = 45
angle_units = "degrees"

[[elements]]
element_type = "retarder"
angle = <number>
angle_units = <angle units>
phase = <number>
phase_units = <phase units>

Example:

[[elements]]
element_type = "retarder"
angle = 45
angle_units = "degrees"
phase = 3.141
phase_units = "radians"

[[elements]]
element_type = "qwp"
angle = <number>
angle_units = <angle units>

Example:

[[elements]]
element_type = "qwp"
angle = 45
angle_units = "degrees"

[[elements]]
element_type = "hwp"
angle = <number>
angle_units = <angle units>

Example:

[[elements]]
element_type = "hwp"
angle = 45
angle_units = "degrees"