Open AccessGround-based full-sky imaging polarimeter based on liquid crystal variable retarders
Author(s) -
Ying Zhang,
Haitao Zhao,
Ping Song,
Shaoguang Shi,
Wujian Xu,
Xiao Liang
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.008749
Subject(s) - polarimeter , optics , polarization (electrochemistry) , birefringence , physics , polarimetry , skylight , rayleigh scattering , remote sensing , scattering , geology , mechanical engineering , chemistry , engineering
A ground-based full-sky imaging polarimeter based on liquid crystal variable retarders (LCVRs) is proposed in this paper. Our proposed method can be used to realize the rapid detection of the skylight polarization information with hemisphere field-of-view for the visual band. The characteristics of the incidence angle of light on the LCVR are investigated, based on the electrically controlled birefringence. Then, the imaging polarimeter with hemisphere field-of-view is designed. Furthermore, the polarization calibration method with the field-of-view multiplexing and piecewise linear fitting is proposed, based on the rotation symmetry of the polarimeter. The polarization calibration of the polarimeter is implemented with the hemisphere field-of-view. This imaging polarimeter is investigated by the experiment of detecting the skylight image. The consistency between the obtained experimental distribution of polarization angle with that due to Rayleigh scattering model is 90%, which confirms the effectivity of our proposed imaging polarimeter.