Analysis of target surface polarization characteristics and inversion of complex refractive index based on three-component model optimization

Traditional imaging detection techniques are used to collect intensity information and spectral information of the target to generate high-resolution target images, but the imaging system is susceptible to external environmental factors, resulting in system instability and image quality degradation. Polarization detection techniques use the polarization properties of light to determine the polarization state and spatial profile of a target, thereby improving the contrast of the target in the image. In this study, the reflection process of the target surface is investigated from a microscopic perspective. A polarization characteristics model was developed to illustrate the link between the properties of the target surface and the degree of polarization of the reflected light. The results show that the degree of polarization is strongly related to the detection of zenith and azimuth angles. Experi-mental data are used to invert the complex refractive index of the target. The polarization of the target is greatest in the direction of specular reflection and smallest in the direction of light source incidence. This suggests that the established Polarimatric Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (pBRDF) model can provide theo-retical support for the analysis of the polarization properties of the target surface. Targets of different materials have different polarization properties and the extinction coefficient can effectively classify the targets.