The invention aims to provide a miniaturized polarization measuring
apparatus which can measure the polarization of input signal light with
high accuracy, even in an optical system where a plurality of light
receiving elements are arranged adjacent to each other. To this end, in
the polarization measuring apparatus which branches the input signal
light into four signal lights by optical couplers in a three stage
configuration, and provides the signal lights with polarizations and the
phase shifts, which are different for each signal light, by a plurality
of optical elements arranged on branched optical paths, and detects the
signal light powers by corresponding light receiving elements, and
calculates the Stokes parameters or the like, based on the detection
results, to thereby measure the polarization of the input signal light,
the elements are arranged to be inclined to each other, so that an
interference system is not formed between the adjacent elements on the
same branched optical path, and also there is provided a shielding wall
so that a stray light generated between these elements does not reach the
light receiving element on another branched optical path.