Abstract

Polarization is an intrinsic property of light, like frequency or coherence. Humans have long benefited from our ability to distinguish light of different frequency based on its color. However, our eyes are not sensitive to the polarization of light. Devices to measure polarization are relatively rare and expertise in polarimetry even more so. Polarization sensors based on micropolarizer arrays appear to be the first devices capable of bringing polarimetric capability to a wide range of applications. Whereas previous polarimeters were built to perform very specific measurements, the same micropolarizer-based camera can be used on a telescope, a microscope, or with a conventional camera lens.

In this work, I investigate the operating principles of micropolarizer arrays using high resolution 3D simulations and describe several strategies to fabricate and characterize micropolarizer-based imaging polarimeters. Furthermore, I show how to incorporate the device characterization into a calibrated demodulation procedure to extract polarimetric quantities from the raw pixel intensities. As part of this effort, I show how the measured sensor properties, like pixel throughput and contrast ratio, can be used to construct a software model to produce synthetic observations of various scenes. These synthetic data are a powerful tool to study the many effects which can give rise to systematic and/or random errors during the data analysis process. Finally, I present the polarimetry performed on several astronomical sources using the RIT Polarization Imaging Camera and compare my results to previous measurements made with conventional polarimeters. Using the current calibration of the RIT Polarization Imaging Camera, I was able to achieve a polarimetric accuracy of ~0.3% in images of extended objects and unresolved sources.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Polarimetry; Focal planes

Publication Date

5-2017

Document Type

Dissertation

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Astrophysical Sciences and Technology (Ph.D.)

Department, Program, or Center

School of Physics and Astronomy (COS)

Advisor

Zoran Ninkov

Advisor/Committee Member

Grover Swartzlander, Jr.

Advisor/Committee Member

Michael G. Gartley

Comments

Physical copy available from RIT's Wallace Library at G70.4 .V67 2017

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

Plan Codes

IMGS-PHD

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