Acousto-optic tunable filter imaging spectrometer with full Stokes polarimetric capability

Polarization is an important addition to spectral imaging in detecting and identifying objects of interest, and simple linear polarization measurements are often inadequate. Full polarization analysis can give additional information for discrimination where the polarization state is completely described by the Stokes parameters. An acousto-optic tunable filter (AOTF) imaging system was built incorporating two liquid-crystal variable retarders (LCVRs) that can provide complete spectral-polarimetric analysis, and it is believed to be the first demonstration of a full Stokes polarimetric AOTF spectral imaging system with no moving parts. It is also shown that a single LCVR cannot provide all the Stokes parameters.