One shot endoscopic polarization measurement device based on a spectrally encoded polarization states generator.

We report a novel technique for polarimetric characterization of samples through a flexible fiber endoscope, with a single shot measurement per pixel. The sample is simultaneously probed with a large diversity of polarization states, and both degree of polarization and linear retardance are determined thanks to specific processing of data. The probe polarization states are spectrally encoded on the 10 nm bandwidth of the source.

Fiber-optic device for endoscopic polarization imaging.

Polarization images were obtained using a flexible optical fiber device. The endoscopic technique is based on the real-time compensation of the birefringence of the standard fiber by means of a miniaturized Faraday rotator. Based on a Jones formalism analysis, specific signal processing allows one to extract both the phase retardation and the degree of polarization of the light backscattered by a remote target.