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Acta Aeronautica et Astronautica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (3): 630523.doi: 10.7527/S1000-6893.2024.30523

• Special Topic: Deep Space Optoelectronic Measurement and Intelligent Awareness Technology • Previous Articles    

Long-wave infrared polarization imaging based on liquid crystal polarization grating

Zidi ZHONG1, Qi GUO1, Zhijun TU2(), Huijie ZHAO1,3,4,5, Senbo WANG1   

  1. 1.School of Instrumentation and Opto-Electronic Engineering,Beihang University,Beijing 100191,China
    2.Space Optoelectronic Measurement and Perception Lab. ,Beijing Institute of Control Engineering,Beijing 100190,China
    3.Key Laboratory of Precision Opto-Mechatronics Technology,Ministry of Industry and Information Technology,Beijing 100191,China
    4.Institute of Artificial Intelligence,Beihang University,Beijing 100191,China
    5.Beihang University Qingdao Research Institute,Beihang University,Qingdao 266101,China
  • Received:2024-04-14 Revised:2024-05-18 Accepted:2024-07-01 Online:2024-07-17 Published:2024-07-12
  • Contact: Zhijun TU E-mail:tuzch76@sina.com
  • Supported by:
    Optoelectronic Measurement and Intelligent Perception Zhongguancun Open Laboratory, and Space Optoelectronic Measurement and Perception Laboratory, Beijing Institute of Control Engineering(LabSOMP-2022-1)

Abstract:

A long-wave infrared polarization imaging method proposed using liquid crystal polarization grating as a novel beam splitting element. The fabrication of liquid crystal polarization grating was achieved, and the method proposed was experimentally verified. The relationship between the effective imaging angle of view and the grating period used in the polarization imaging optical path based on liquid crystal polarization grating was analyzed, and the optimal grating period corresponding to the maximum angle of view with the experimental optical path parameters was calculated. The transformation of polarization states in the optical path was derived using the Mueller matrix, and a time-division polarization imaging method whose parameters were optimized by minimizing error transfer was designed based on the polarization state transformation matrix. A liquid crystal wave-plate was fabricated, with which the birefringence in 8.6–12 μm band and the transmittance in 7.5–12 μm band of liquid crystal materials were measured. A liquid crystal polarization grating was manufactured according to the optimal grating period and grating parameters based on the measured liquid crystal material characteristics. Diffraction efficiency of the long-wave infrared liquid crystal polarization grating in 8.6–12 μm band was measured, reaching a diffraction efficiency of more than 90% at around 10 μm wavelength. An experimental polarization imaging system was constructed with the prepared long-wave liquid crystal polarization grating and wave-plate to accomplish polarization imaging and imaging processing that calculate the polarization states. Comparisons between preset values and measured values show that a measurement error of less than 1° was achieved.

Key words: liquid crystal polarization grating, polarization beam splitting, polarization imaging, long-wave infrared imaging, infrared polarization imaging

CLC Number: