Method and system for dynamically polarizing electro-optic signals

A polarimetric infrared imaging sensor arrangement for generating polarization vector data from light reflected from an object, the vector data for use in object identifcation, the sensor arrangement comprising:

• a photodetector that includes an array of infrared radiation detectors and having an optically transparent surface and arranged to convert detected light reflected from the object into a plurality of photocurrent signals;
• a rotatable disk positioned between the object and the photodetector array and parallel to the photodetector array, the rotatable disk including a plurality of linear members that are opaque and parallel to each other, whereby the reflected light is polarized and passed to the photodetector array;
• a rotator arrangement engaged with a portion of the rotatable disk, the rotator arrangement arranged to impart a selected rotation rate to the rotatable disk;
• and
• a circuit arrangement coupled to the photodetector array and configured to generate a set of polarization vector data by sampling the photocurrent signals.

A method of identifying an object using light reflected from the object in a target classification system, the method comprising the steps of:

• converting light detected from the object into a plurality of photocurrent signals using a photodetector array;
• rotating disk positioned in front of and parallel to the photodetector array, the disk including a plurality of opaque linear members that filter light before being detected by the photodetector array;
• sampling the plurality of photocurrent signals at the photodetector array at selected disk angles as the disk rotates;
• generating a data set of polarization vector components from the sampled plurality of photocurrent signals;
• and
• classifying the object as a function of an intensity of the detected light originating from the object and a set of Stokes vectors generated from the polarization vector components.

A system for identifying an object using light reflected from the object in a target classification system, the system comprising:

• a photodetector array that converts light detected from the object into a plurality of photocurrent signals;
• means for rotating a disk positioned in front of and parallel to the photodetector array, the disk including a plurality of opaque linear members that filter light before being detected by the photodetector array;
• means for sampling the plurality of photocurrent signals at the photodetector array at selected disk angles as the disk rotates;
• means for generating a data set of polarization vector components from the sampled plurality of photocurrent signals;
• means for classifying the object as a function of an intensity of the detected light originating from the object and a set of Stokes vectors generated from the polarization vector components.