Dual-channel polarization imaging spectrometer

A static dual-channel polarization imaging spectrometer which can simultaneously acquire inphase and antiphase interference images by using a single CCD camera is presented theoretically. The increase of interference signal together with the extractions of the pure image and the pure fringes can be achieved from the summation and the difference of the two interference images respectively. The polarization interferometer is based on the combination of a linear polarizer, a Savart polariscope and a Wollaston prism. To get straight fringes over a relative large field of view, a combined Savart polariscope made of the positive and negative uniaxial crystals can be employed. The principle and the configuration of the system are described.