Patent ID: 8269191
Filing Date: 2012-09-18
Classification: G01J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for determining a depolarization efficiency of an environment comprising: a transmitter having a radiation source illuminating the reference object with incident radiation, the reference object being located in the environment a reference distance from the transmitter, the incident radiation having an initial polarization as the incident radiation enters the environment; the incident radiation causing the reference object to emit photoluminescence; the emission of the photoluminescence being dependent upon the change in polarization induced by the environment over the reference distance; a receiver, having a detector, receiving returned radiation from the reference object, the return radiation comprising photoluminescent radiation, the detector providing detector data correlated with at least one property of the photoluminescent radiation; signal processing circuitry, receiving the detector data from the detector, the signal processing circuitry being operational to determine the effect of the environment on the polarization of the electromagnetic radiation as measured by the change in degree of polarization per unit length over the reference distance based upon the initial polarization and the photoluminescent radiation.