Pixel response model for a division of focal plane polarimeter

A division of focal plane (DoFP) polarimeter includes an array of polarized pixels. The response characteristics of polarized pixels are directly affected by inherent defects of a DoFP polarimeter. Correspondingly, the response characteristics are crucial to correction of the inherent defects. However, research on the response characteristics is rarely reported. Therefore, this paper proposes a pixel response model for a DoFP polarimeter. The response model combines the response characteristics of a traditional photoelectric imager and a micro-polarizer array. The proposed model includes six input parameters. They are the major polarization responsivity, minor polarization responsivity, polarization orientation, exposure time, conversion gain, and gamma correction. An experimental setup is constructed to measure the response of a DoFP polarimeter. The proposed model is evaluated by comparing the calculated results and the measured results. The compared results under different artificial parameters show that the each average root-mean-square error value is less than one gray value, which proves the validity of the proposed model.