Snapshot spatial heterodyne imaging polarimetry
AssigneesArizona Board of Regents on Behalf of the University of Arizona, North Carolina State University
InventorsMichael W. Kudenov, Michael J. Escuti
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Abstract
Polarization based channeled images are optically demodulated to produce directly viewable images. A channeled image flux is converted to an unpolarized flux by a phosphor or other sensor, and the resulting converted flux is demodulated by modulating at a spatial frequency corresponding to a modulating frequency of the channeled image flux. After modulation, the converted flux is spatially filtered to remove or attenuate portions associated with the modulation frequency and harmonics thereof. The resulting baseband flux is then imaged by direct viewing, projection, or using an image sensor and a display.
Claims19
An apparatus, comprising:
- an optical modulation system situated to modulate an optical flux received from an object so as to produce a modulated imaging optical intensity associated with a corresponding modulation of at least one Stokes parameter associated with the optical flux;
- and
- an optical demodulator situated to demodulate the modulated imaging optical intensity and produce a viewable image associated with at least one Stokes parameter associated with the received optical flux.
A method, comprising:
- producing an imaging optical beam having a periodic modulation associated with at least one Stokes parameter of optical radiation from an object;
- and
- applying a corresponding optical demodulation to the periodically modulated imaging optical beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.