  This publication presents a novel interferometric method for the simultaneous
spatially resolved analysis of an object under test regarding the phase
transmission function and the magnitude and orientation of dichroism. Analogous
to the classical phase shifting interferometry the measurement strategy is
based on the variation of phase and polarization in an interferometer. This
procedure allows to analyse simultaneously and spatially resolved the dichroic
properties of the object and its impact on the phase of the incoming light in
one measurement cycle. The theoretical description of the investigated methods
and their experimental implementation are presented.
