A table top polarimetric facility for the EUV spectral range: implementations and characterization

The EUV reflectometer facility available at the Institute for Photonics and Nanotechnologies-CNR Padua (Italy) has been characterized in terms of Stokes' parameters at two wavelengths of particular interest for space applications, the hydrogen Lyman alpha at 121.6 nm and 160 nm. The design and the performances of a polarizer based on four gold coated mirrors and coupled with the facility are also described. The whole system consisting of the reflectometer and the polarizer can be used to test mirrors, polarizers and phase retarders in the EUV range by means of the Mueller Matrix formalism, and even to investigate compositions, interfaces and structure of thin films and optical coatings.