Lensless polarization camera for single-shot full-Stokes imaging

Abstract

Lensless cameras have recently emerged as a compact imaging system based on computational imaging with various multiplexing capabilities. Here, we propose a compact, low-cost, lensless camera that enables snapshot full-Stokes polarization imaging. While polarization imaging provides additional contrast based on the birefringence and surface properties of the object, most polarization cameras require bulky hardware or are limited to measuring only the linear polarization information. Our device, composed of a phase mask, a polarization-encoded aperture, and a regular image sensor, performs compressed imaging to recover linear as well as circular polarization information of the scene from single image capture. We demonstrate the full-Stokes imaging capabilities of our device and describe the image reconstruction and calibration processes.