Dead pixel replacement in LWIR microgrid polarimeters

Area of Science:

• Optics
• Infrared Imaging
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Nonresponsive pixels, or "dead pixels," degrade the quality of long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) imaging arrays.
• The presence of micropolarizer arrays in LWIR systems amplifies the dead pixel problem.
• Conventional dead pixel replacement (DPR) strategies are ineffective for LWIR arrays with micropolarizers due to differing pixel polarizations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel dead pixel replacement (DPR) schemes for LWIR imaging arrays integrated with micropolarizers.
• To address the limitations of conventional DPR methods in polarimetric LWIR imaging.

Main Methods:

• A modified nearest-neighbor replacement method was developed.
• A second DPR scheme was designed based on redundancy in polarization measurements.
• Performance evaluation of both schemes using typical LWIR polarimetric data.

Main Results:

• The modified nearest-neighbor method offers a potential solution.
• The redundancy-based DPR scheme demonstrated superior performance.
• The redundancy-based scheme achieved an order-of-magnitude better performance compared to conventional methods for LWIR polarimetric data.

Conclusions:

• The redundancy-based DPR scheme is highly effective for LWIR polarimetric imaging.
• This method significantly improves image quality by accurately replacing dead pixels in challenging LWIR polarimetric arrays.
• The findings offer a practical solution for enhancing the reliability and usability of LWIR polarimetric imaging systems.