Optical characterization of a polarization imager

Polarization is a fundamental property of light for which humans have no innate detector. Numerous sensors have been devised to capture this property of light. Of these types of sensors, division of focal plane polarimeters allow for both high resolution and real-time capture of the angle and degree of polarization. This paper details a formal system of measurements designed to categorize the optical performance of one such sensor. Specifically, this paper details methods for evaluating the accuracy of both the degree and angle of polarization as functions of intensity, wavelength, and camera orientation for a division of focal plane polarimeter.