Abstract
An imaging Stokes-vector polarimeter using liquid crystal variable retarders (LCVRs) has been built and calibrated. Operating in five bands from 450 to , the polarimeter can be changed quickly between narrow (12°) and wide fields of view. The instrument is designed for studying the effects of differing sky polarization upon the measured polarization of ground-based objects. LCVRs exhibit variations in retardance with ray incidence angle and ray position in the aperture. Therefore LCVR-based Stokes polarimeters exhibit unique calibration challenges not found in other systems. Careful design and calibration of the instrument has achieved errors within . Clear-sky measurements agree well with previously published data and cloudy data provide opportunities to explore spatial and spectral variations in sky polarization.
© 2006 Optical Society of America
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