Snapshot imaging spectropolarimeter

Abstract

We present and analyze a technique for snapshot imaging spectropolarimetry. The technique involves the combination of channeled spectropolarimetry with computed tomography imaging spectrometry (CTIS). Channeled spectropolarimetry uses modulation to encode the spatial dependence of all four Stokes parameters in a single spectrum. CTIS is a snapshot imaging spectrometry method in which a computer-generated holographic disperser is employed to acquire dispersed images of the target scene, and both spatial and spectral information is reconstructed using the mathematics of computed tomography. The combination of these techniques provides the basis for a snapshot imaging complete Stokes spectropolarimeter which can be implemented with no moving parts. We present results of a simulation that we did using four input Stokes vectors that varied with wavelength. The reconstruction took into account dispersion from the retarders and that low frequency components will be missing in CTIS.