Image polarimeter using a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) micro-mirror array (MMA)
US12259277B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 20, 2021 |
| Grant date | Mar 25, 2025 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 28, 2043 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG02B27/286
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An image polarimeter includes a MEMS MMA divided into two or more segments in which the mirrors in each segment are provided with a polarizer of a given polarization. The mirrors in each segment are tipped and tilted to steer polarized light onto different portions of an optical detector. In certain configurations the mirrors may also be pistoned to reduce aberrations. Each frame that is read out from the detector includes two or more distinct component polarized images having different polarizations P0, P2, . . . of the same scene to fully characterize the polarization properties of the scene. Since the mirrors only tip/tilt/piston in the dead period between frames, no components are moving during image acquisition and co-registration of the component polarized images is simple. The number of segments and the different polarizations may be selected to implement Jones calculus, Mueller calculus and Stokes parameters or other polarimetry techniques.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.