Nano-fabricated pixelated micropolarizer array for visible imaging polarimetry

Imaging polarimetry has emerged over the past three decades as a powerful tool to enhance the information available in a variety of remote sensing applications. We discuss the foundations of passive imaging polarimetry, the phenomenological reasons for designing a polarimetric sensor, and the primary architectures that have been exploited for developing imaging polarimeters. Considerations on imaging polarimeters such as calibration, optimization, and error performance are also discussed. We review many important sources and examples from the scientific literature.

A division-of-focal-plane polarimeter based on a dichroic dye and liquid crystal polymer guest-host system is presented. Two Stokes polarimeters are demonstrated: a linear Stokes and the first ever Full-Stokes division-of-focal-plane polarimeter. The fabrication, packaging, and characterization of the systems are presented. Finally, optimized polarimeter designs are discussed for future works.