The paper examines the basic physical principles of the operation of terahertz (THz) polarization converters and discusses the main types of polarizers, including those based on wire girds, films, metamaterials, etc. More sophisticated devices based on polarizers made of stacks of segmented, achromatic, and tunable composite waveplates, including those operating over a wide wavelength range, and on THz polarization filters are considered. The basic principles of their calculation using the Jones formalism are described.

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Correspondence should be addressed to † kaveev@mail.ioffe.ru Keywords: THz polarimetry, waveplates, retardation, quartz optics, Jones formalism PACS: 07.57.−c, 42.25.Ja, 42.81.Gs (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2024.09.039770 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2025/3/f/ Citation: Kaveev A K, Kropotov G I "Terahertz polarization converters: physical principles, design, and applications" Phys. Usp. 68 (3) (2025) Received: 1st, May 2024, revised: 28th, July 2024, accepted: 24th, September 2024 Оригинал: Кавеев А К, Кропотов Г И «Преобразователи поляризации терагерцового излучения: физические принципы, устройство и применение» УФН 195 311–333 (2025); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2024.09.039770