Snapshot Mueller spectropolarimeter imager

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Materials Science
• Computational Imaging

Background:

• Accurate polarization and wavelength measurements are crucial for material characterization and optical metrology.
• Existing imaging systems often require multiple captures or complex setups, limiting real-time analysis.
• Simultaneous acquisition of polarization and spectral information presents a significant challenge in optical imaging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an advanced imaging system capable of simultaneously capturing complete Mueller polarization responses across multiple wavelength channels in a single image acquisition.
• To demonstrate a real-time calibration method for this novel imaging system using a customized neural network.
• To validate the system's performance by accurately reconstructing a thin film thickness map.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a division-of-focal-plane concept integrating multiplexed Fourier optics and a telescopic light-field imaging system.
• Utilization of broadband nanostructured plasmonic polarizers as functional pinhole apertures for polarization-resolved imaging.
• Development and application of a neural network-based calibration approach for real-time data processing.

Main Results:

• Successful simultaneous recording of complete Mueller polarization responses and wavelength channels in a single image capture.
• Highly interpretable polarization and wavelength information directly recorded on the image sensor.
• Accurate reconstruction of a thin film thickness map from a four-inch wafer using the calibrated system.

Conclusions:

• The developed imaging system offers a significant advancement in simultaneous polarization and spectral imaging.
• The real-time calibration method enhances the system's practical applicability in metrology and machine vision.
• This technology holds potential for diverse applications in metrology, machine vision, computational imaging, and optical computing.