This study evaluates the polarization state persistence of differently polarized light as they propagate through wet haze (PM2.5), in forward transmission. The investigated wavelength range extends from ultraviolet (UV) to short-wave infrared (SWIR) light. Using a polarization tracking Monte Carlo simulation for a range of particle sizes, wavelengths, relative refractive indices, and propagation distances, we find that both vertically-linearly- and right-handed-circularly-polarized light show superior polarization state persistence at a wavelength of 2.4μm. While the persistence increases gradually for increasing wavelengths, the study also reveals an anomaly, a persistence peak for wet haze with 2μm particles and 0.36μm wavelength. We further compare the polarization state persistence characteristics of vertically linearly and right circularly polarized light. Circular polarization persists better than linear for wet haze in wavelengths of 0.36, 0.543, and 1μm. While with the increase of wavelength and the decrease of particle size, linear polarization gradually persisted better than circular polarization.

Date Published: 12 March 2020
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 11435, 2019 International Conference on Optical Instruments and Technology: Optical Communication and Optical Signal Processing, 1143509 (12 March 2020); doi: 10.1117/12.2543495

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 11435:
2019 International Conference on Optical Instruments and Technology: Optical Communication and Optical Signal Processing
Jian Chen; Yi Dong; Fabien Bretenaker, Editor(s)