Turning any camera into a polarization camera

March 8, 2022
Adapted polarization camera

In recent work, we have shown that a suitably-designed polarization-sensitive metasurface grating when paired with a conventional imaging system can serve as an "attachment" rendering it capable of polarization imaging. We describe the design rules that govern this process, and show as an example the adaptation of a simple machine vision camera with a metasurface grating.

More broadly, the work serves as a guide to using metasurface polarization gratings in optical systems more generally. These may be used as a polarization-sensitive component in a wide variety of contexts, from telescopes to miniature cameras for consumer use, such as on mobile phones.

The work was published in Optics Express, where it was selected as an Editor's Pick (see here).

See a press release written about this work by Harvard SEAS here.

Example polarization images