Open AccessMueller matrix imaging with a polarization camera: application to microscopy
Author(s) -
Dale Gottlieb,
Oriol Arteaga
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.439529
Subject(s) - polarimeter , mueller calculus , optics , polarimetry , frame rate , detector , polarization (electrochemistry) , birefringence , stokes parameters , image resolution , physics , microscopy , materials science , scattering , chemistry
In this work, we describe the design and implementation of a Mueller matrix imaging polarimeter that uses a polarization camera as a detector. This camera simultaneously measures the first three Stokes components, allowing for the top three rows of the Mueller matrix to be determined after only N = 4 measurements using a single rotating compensator, which is sufficient to fully characterize nondepolarizing samples. This setup provides the polarimetric analysis with micrometric resolution in about 3 seconds and can also perform live birefringence imaging at the camera frame rate by fixing the compensator at a static 45° angle. To further improve the conditioning of the setup, we also give the first experimental demonstration of an optimal elliptical retarder design.