Eidolon
Eidolon
Our project focuses on improving infrared imaging by enabling sensors to capture not only temperature information but also the polarization of light. Traditional infrared cameras rely solely on heat differences to form images, which can make objects difficult to distinguish when they are at similar temperatures. By incorporating polarization sensing, this project introduces an additional layer of information that can reveal differences in materials, surfaces, and object features that are otherwise invisible. Current polarimetric imaging systems rely on external polarizer grids, which introduce tradeoffs in image quality, light efficiency, and resolution. To address these limitations, this project explores the use of engineered meta-surfaces, which are nanostructured materials that can manipulate light at very small scales, to enable more efficient and compact polarization-sensitive imaging directly at the pixel level for applications across defense, environmental monitoring, and remote sensing, where improved visibility and object detection in challenging conditions are critical. The project aim is to fabricate a full-stokes polarizing filter that is capable of being mounted alongside an infrared focal plane array and operating passively at cryogenic temperatures.