Antenna Arrays for Spectroscopic Division of Wavefront Focal-Plane Imaging Polarimetry

"This SBIR Phase I project will develop an enabling technology that performs Spectroscopic Division of Wavefront Polarimetry using Antenna Arrays in an imaging focal-plane configuration. ITN will combine groups of four carefully designed antennas to form asingle pixel that completely determines the polarization state of light. The high frequency energy collected by each antenna will be converted to a usable signal with integrated rectifiers (diodes, bolometers, etc.). Since frequency collection is simply ageometric/engineering issue for antennas, ITN will be able to combine antennas in a focal-plane array to detect a broad spectrum of wavelengths with resolution and band-widths engineered to the specific requirements of the application. ITN has the advancede-beam lithographic processing available in-house to perform the challenging research and development needed to design, build, and test the small antennas/rectifiers that scale with the wavelength of the light for optimum collection efficiency.Furthermore, ITN has substantial polarimetry expertise including patented technology with unique calibration capabilities. While the processing and goals of this program will be challenging, development of a high-resolution focal-plane array thatsimultaneously measures the full polarization state of light at multiple (perhaps hundreds or thousands) wavelengths will revolutionize the IR and visible imaging detector industry. An uncooled focal-p