Static Fourier-transform hyperspectral imaging full polarimetry

Abstract

Spectral imaging and polarimetric imaging are both advanced optical detection techniques. Owing to their wide potential in military and civil communities, these techniques have rapidly developed within the past two decades and become well-recognized tools in remote sensing. In recent years, these two techniques presented a new trend toward merging into the imaging spectropolarimetry, and make the optical remote sensing tend to multi-dimensional and multi-information fusion. However, in conventional imaging spectropolarimeters, rotating polarization elements, electrically controllable components, and microretarder or micropolarizer arrays are typically required. These apparatuses generally suffer from vibration, electrical noise, heat generation, and alignment difficulty. Consequently, the incorporation of mechanical components typically increases the complexity and reduces the reliability of the measurement system. To overcome these drawbacks, we propose a novel method of real-time measuring the spectrum, polarization and imaging of scenes with static birefringent crystal elements in 2010. In this paper, the concept and theory of a sensor based on the method are given. With specially aligned static birefringent retarders, different phase factors are modulated into the Stokes vector of incidence light. After passing through a static birefringent interferometer, the spectrally dependent Stokes parameters are distributed into several separated interferogram channels. With corresponding Fourier-transform demodulation, the wavelength-dependent polarization, spectral and 1-D spatial imaging of objects can be completely obtained with a single snapshot. The simulated and experimental demonstration of the sensor are also presented. This research gives a new way for spectropolarimetric imaging measurement, and provides theoretical and practical support for the development of new space remote sensors.