Open AccessIntegration time optimization and starting angle autocalibration of full Stokes imagers based on a rotating retarder
Author(s) -
Xiaobo Li,
François Goudail,
Pengfei Qi,
Tiegen Liu,
Haofeng Hu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.418399
Subject(s) - retarder , polarizer , optics , stokes parameters , polarization (electrochemistry) , physics , polarimetry , brewster's angle , computer science , materials science , chemistry , birefringence , brewster , scattering , composite material
Full Stokes imaging can be performed with a continuously rotating retarder in front of a fixed polarizer and a standard camera (RRFP) or a division of a focal plane polarization camera (RRDOFP). We determine the optimal number and duration of intensity measurements through a cycle of the retarder for these two types of setups as a function of instrument and noise parameters. We show that this number mainly depends on the type of noise that corrupts the measurements. We also show that with these setups, the starting angle of the retarder need not be known precisely and can be autocalibrated, which facilitates synchronization of the rotating retarder with the camera. We investigate the precision and feasibility domain of this autocalibration and show the RRDOFP setup has more attractive properties compared with RRFP setup. These results are important to optimize and facilitate the operation of polarization imagers based on a rotating retarder.