System for control of polarization state of light and generation of light with continuously rotating linear polarization

We present a technique for generating light in an arbitrary polarization state. The technique is based on interference of twoorthogonally polarized light beams, whose amplitudes and phases are controlled with a Mach-Zehnder inteferometer withacousto-optic modulators (AOMs) placed in each arm. We demonstrate that via control over amplitudes, phases, and frequenciesof acoustic waves driving the AOMs, any polarization state can be synthesized. In particular, we demonstrate generation of lin-early polarized light, whose polarization plane continuously rotates at a rate from 1 kHz to 1 MHz. Such light finds applications inscience (e.g., investigations of Bloch-Siegert effect) and technology (optically pumped magnetometers).