On real and imaginary algorithms of optical tensor field tomography

In optical tensor field tomography either the dielectric tensor or the stress tensor has to be determined. In experiments either interferometric measurement of the absolute optical retarda- tions or comparatively simple measurement of the relative optical retardations can be used. The paper analyses main differences of tomographic algorithms for the dielectric and stress tensor fields for both methods of optical measurements. It also shows that a r ecently published algorithm for tomographic measurement of the dielectric tensor field is wrong in principle.