Large aperture static hyperspectral imaging full polarimetry

Spectral imaging and polarimetric imaging are both advanced optical detection techniques. In recent years, these two techniques appear new trend to merge into the imaging spectropolarimetry, and make the optical remote sensing tend to multi-dimensional and multi-information fusion. In 2010, two novel methods for measurement of the spectrum, polarization and imaging of scenes were originally proposed: one was pushbroom mode, the other was windowing mode. In this paper, the concept and theory of a sensor based on the windowing mode method were given. With specially aligned static birefringent retarders, different phase factors were modulated onto the Stokes vector of incidence light. After passing through a static birefringent interferometer, the spectrally dependent Stokes parameters were distributed into several separated interferogram channels. With corresponding Fourier-transform demodulation, all of the wavelength-dependent polarization, spectral and spatial imaging of objects could be completely obtained. Besides the sensor employed 2 -D field of view, which meant the optical throughput was two order of magnitude higher than that of pushbroom one. The experimental demonstration of the sensor was also presented. This research gives a new way for spectropolarimetric imaging measurement, and provides theoretical and practical supports for the development of new space remote sensors.