Diagonal Mueller matrix measurements based on a single pulse LiDAR polarimeter

Chad Welsh; Stefano Roccasecca; Khanh Nguyen; Richard Martin; Christian Keyser

doi:10.1117/12.2559117

22 April 2020 Diagonal Mueller matrix measurements based on a single pulse LiDAR polarimeter

Chad Welsh, Stefano Roccasecca, Khanh Nguyen, Richard Martin, Christian Keyser

Proceedings Volume 11412, Polarization: Measurement, Analysis, and Remote Sensing XIV; 114120I (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2559117
Event: SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing, 2020, Online Only

Abstract

We demonstrate a single pulse LiDAR polarimeter that is optimized to measure the diagonal elements of a target Mueller matrix and thereby dramatically reduce CSWAP of the system. Previous work showed that 12 out 16 elements of a Mueller Matrix can be resolved using three polarization state analyzers (PSA); for example, a linear horizontal/vertical PSA, a linear +45º/135º PSA, and a circular PSA. Here we employ a single elliptical PSA to measure the diagonal matrix elements. The system is composed of a transmitter beam produced by directing the laser pulse through a Pockels cell wherein a high-voltage ramp is synchronously applied thereby creating a time varying birefringence. The resulting pulse is characterized by a time varying polarization across the temporal envelope. The receiver PSA is composed of an elliptical PSA (quarter wave plate at angle Ɵ and linear polarizer) followed by a high bandwidth detector capable of measuring the polarization modulation of the return signal. In this particular work, we use analytical models to optimize the Pockels cell angle and the elliptical PSA quarter-wave plate angle for maximum matrix element estimation accuracy. A system demonstrator employing a 1.06 μm, 10 ns pulse laser is used to demonstrate target diagonal Mueller matrix measurement. We measure diagonal Mueller matrix elements of air, Spectralon, and paint samples.

Conference Presentation

Citation Download Citation

Chad Welsh, Stefano Roccasecca, Khanh Nguyen, Richard Martin, and Christian Keyser "Diagonal Mueller matrix measurements based on a single pulse LiDAR polarimeter", Proc. SPIE 11412, Polarization: Measurement, Analysis, and Remote Sensing XIV, 114120I (22 April 2020); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2559117

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