A system for infrared analysis over a wide field area of a sample is disclosed herein that relies on interference of non-diffractively separated beams of light containing image data corresponding to the sample, as well as a photothermal effect on the sample.

Methods, systems and devices are disclosed to detect and compensate wavefront errors associated with light that spans a large range of wavelengths and different polarization states. One example system includes an optical wavefront sensor that is positioned to receive input light after propagation through a turbulent medium, such as air or water or other liquids, and to detect a wavefront error associated with at least one spectral component of the received light that has a plurality of spectral components. The system further includes a wavefront compensator that is positioned to receive the input light and to simultaneously effectuate wavefront corrections for the plurality of spectral components of the input light based on the detected wavefront error.

A hyperspectral imager (HSI) includes a first thin film filter, the first thin film filter including a first quarter wave mirror, a second quarter wave mirror, and a low-refractive-index wedge between the first quarter wave mirror and the second quarter wave mirror. The low-refractive-index wedge has a height dimension such that a distance between the first quarter wave mirror and the second quarter wave mirror increases linearly along a length of the low-refractive-index wedge.

A lens device and an imaging apparatus that can emit illumination light coaxial with a lens optical system are proposed herein. A lens device includes an optical system that includes a first lens and a second lens forming an optical image of a subject; a first optical member that includes a frame that includes a plurality of aperture regions, a plurality of optical filters that include two or more optical filters transmitting lights having at least some wavelength ranges different from each other, and a plurality of polarizing filters that have different polarization directions; and a second optical member that is provided outside the optical system and closer to a subject side than the first optical member and emits illumination light, which is incident from the outside of the optical system, to the subject side via the optical system.

There are provided a lens device, an imaging apparatus, and an imaging method that suppress the occurrence of overexposure by dimming or blocking totally reflected light. The lens device (100) includes: an optical system (100A); a wavelength polarizing filter unit (130) that is disposed at a pupil position of the optical system (100A) or near the pupil position and includes a plurality of aperture regions, a plurality of optical filters that are disposed in the plurality of aperture regions and include two or more optical filters transmitting lights having a part of wavelength ranges different from each other, and a plurality of first polarizing filters that are disposed in the plurality of aperture regions and are at least two first polarizing filters having polarization directions different from each other; and a first circularly polarizing optical element (101) that is provided between a subject and the wavelength polarizing filter unit.

A method for retrieving a corrected spectrum from a measured spectrum (e.g., retrieving a top-of-water spectrum from a measured top-of-atmosphere spectrum) includes creating a scene-specific model of a region of interest and performing a ray-tracing simulation to simulate rays of light that would reach an airborne (or spaceborne) sensor. The region of interest can be an optically complex area such as an inland or coastal body of water. Based on the ray-tracing simulation, a scene-specific correction for unwanted effects (e.g., adjacency effects, variable atmospheric conditions, and/or other suitable effects) is obtained. A corrected spectrum is obtained by correcting the measured spectrum using the scene-specific correction. The ray-tracing simulation may be performed using a graphical processing unit, allowing the scene-specific correction to be performed in real time or near real time.

A circular polarization filter of a chiral metasurface structure is disclosed including a substrate having a nanograting pattern extending from the substrate, a dielectric layer formed directly on the nanograting pattern, and a plasmonic structure in direct contact with the dielectric layer, where the plasmonic structure may be oriented at a nonzero angle with respect to the nanograting pattern. An integrated polarization filter array is also disclosed including include a linear polarization filter, and a circular polarization filter. Methods of detecting full-stokes polarization using an integrated polarization filter array having both linear and circular polarization filters made from chiral metasurface structures is disclosed. Methods of using a Mueller matrix to evaluate polarization response of any optical device or system is also disclosed.

A brightness colorimeter having a measurement error caused by linearly polarized light, which is corrected, includes: a lens module to which light irradiated from one side is input; a polarization conversion module configured to penetrate the light input through the lens module to convert polarization characteristics; a spectral module provided in one unit block to reflect and penetrate the light input through the polarization conversion module so as to branch the light in different three directions; filter modules arranged on progress paths of the light branched in different three direction through the spectral module to penetrate monochromatic light beams having specific spectra among the light branched in the three directions; and measurement modules arranged to correspond to exit angles of the monochromatic light beams penetrated through the filter modules, to measure at least one of a brightness, a colorimeter and a defect obtained by the monochromatic light beams.

The present invention is directed to an assembly for use in detecting an analyte in a sample based on thin-film spectral interference. The assembly includes a light source to emit light signals; a light detector to detect light signals; a coupler to optically couple the light source and the light detector to a waveguide tip; a monolithic substrate having a coupling side and a sensing side; and a lens between the waveguide tip and the monolithic substrate. The lens relays optical signals between the waveguide tip and the monolithic substrate.

Devices, systems, and methods for distinguishing tissue types are described herein. Such devices and systems may use dual polarization, conformal filters to acquire image data from target tissues and a processor to create an image in which the contrast between tissues has been enhanced.