Design and simulation analysis of the AOTF full-Stokes imaging spectropolarimeter

J Opt Soc Am A Opt Image Sci Vis. 2022 Sep 1;39(9):1634-1640. doi: 10.1364/JOSAA.461961.

Abstract

In order to effectively improve the contrast of target identification, an acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) full-Stokes imaging spectropolarimeter is proposed, which can measure synchronously polarization information with each spectral band in real time. The full-Stokes vectors are obtained by the division-of-aperture polarization imaging system. The spectral bands are selected by RF of the AOTF electrically. Based on this system, a polarization error model is established, and the influence of the key polarization element angle error is analyzed. The results show that the measurement error increases with the increase of the polarization degree. When P=1, the influence of the azimuth angle error is greater than the retardance error under the same angle error. The results are helpful to find the variation law of the polarization error and provide a theoretical reference for the design of new types of full-Stokes imaging spectropolarimeters.