Mid-wave infrared polarization imaging system for detecting moving scene.

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Infrared Imaging Technology
• Polarimetry

Background:

• Traditional infrared cameras lack polarization measurement capabilities.
• Analyzing polarization characteristics is crucial for object detection in dynamic scenes.
• Existing methods for infrared polarization imaging are often limited in speed and applicability to moving targets.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a polarimetric analyzer for mid-wave infrared cameras.
• To create a mid-wave infrared polarization imaging system capable of measuring infrared polarization characteristics of objects in moving scenes.
• To enable real-time polarization imaging at high frame rates.

Main Methods:

• Designed an ultra-high-speed polarimetric analyzer rotating at 900 rpm.
• Integrated the analyzer with a mid-wave infrared camera for synchronous image acquisition.
• Employed a Stokes vector model and a sort-iteration method for image processing.
• Calculated the degree of linear polarization (DoLP) and angle of polarization (AoP) from sequential intensity images.

Main Results:

• The developed system successfully acquires DoLP and AoP images.
• Achieved a frame frequency of 45 frames per second for polarization imaging.
• Demonstrated suitability for infrared polarization detection of moving scenes.
• The polarization imaging frame rate matches the intensity imaging frame rate.

Conclusions:

• The mid-wave infrared polarization imaging system is effective for dynamic scene analysis.
• The system has significant potential for polarization remote sensing and marine object detection.
• This technology advances real-time infrared polarization imaging capabilities.