Method and system comprising entrance optics, interferometer, and transformation layer for detection of electromagnetic radiation

An electromagnetic imager for imaging electromagnetic radiation from an object comprising:

• an unbalanced single-wavelength phase-shift laser diode interferometer including a measurement arm and a laser diode for emitting electromagnetic radiation;
• entrance optics comprising a thermally controlled electromagnetic radiation input window and an output window transparent to an output wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation of the laser diode for allowing the electromagnetic radiation to enter the electromagnetic imager, comprising an image plane onto which an image of the object is to be imaged between the thermally controlled electromagnetic radiation input window and the output window, separated by a small distance from each other in a range of 1 micron to 100 micron;
• wherein the output wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation of the laser diode is modulated by a direct modulation of an injection current of the laser diode,
• wherein the thermally controlled electromagnetic radiation input window and the output window containing the image plane between the thermally controlled electromagnetic radiation input window and the output window is in the measurement arm;
• and
• a transformation layer, contained between the thermally controlled electromagnetic radiation input window and the output window, at the image plane, for transforming the electromagnetic radiation from the object into a spatiotemporal variation of a refractive index of the transformation layer for causing spatiotemporal optical phase differences in the measurement arm of the unbalanced single-wavelength phase-shift laser diode interferometer representative of the image of the object, and
• wherein the transformation layer is a thin layer having a thickness of microns of a solid, a liquid, a gas, or any combination thereof.