Abstract
We perform Mueller matrix imaging (MMI) of diffusely scattering phantoms under sinusoidal irradiance of varying spatial frequency. Quantitative polarimetric sensing via MMI completely characterizes a sample's polarimetric properties, while structured illumination (SI) allows for the control of photon path length. Intralipid phantoms were measured with varying absorption and with varying depth to demonstrate photon path length control for Mueller matrix elements. We observe unpolarized intensity, linear polarization, and circular polarization to depend upon spatial frequency differently. Finally, we measured an ex vivo chicken skin sample over a bright and dark substrate to further demonstrate the sensitivity of SI-MMI to depth.
Highlights
Mueller matrix imaging (MMI) has received special attention for its wide-field, quantitative, and complete measure of a sample’s polarimetric properties [1]
MM decompositions [7] may enhance contrast for anisotropic samples, but none that we considered were useful for the materials studied, since the MMs were nearly diagonal
Summary and conclusion In this letter, we investigate the capabilities of structured illumination (SI)-MMI to control average photon path lengths and demonstrated its effects on polarization parameters
Summary
Mueller matrix imaging (MMI) has received special attention for its wide-field, quantitative, and complete measure of a sample’s polarimetric properties [1]. Elements of the Mueller matrix (MM) and its associated polarimetry parameters, such as depolarization [7], are sensitive to optical variations associated with disease [5], yet variations in absorption or tissue thickness unrelated to disease can confound the imaging signal [6]. Recent work has demonstrated a new way of controlling photon penetration depth on a macroscale by using structured illumination (SI) (spatial frequency gating [9,10]) to enable microscopic scattering contrast over a macroscopic field of view. We combine structured illumination with Mueller matrix imaging to make a system that is sensitive to the polarization dependence of the optical path length. Bulk tissue phantoms of varying absorption and scattering are measured to explore spatial frequency and optical property dependence. An ex vivo chicken skin sample with a heterogeneous substrate is measured to demonstrate depth sensing control
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