An imaging polarimeter sensor includes an achromatic beam-splitting polarizer
that receives a polychromatic image beam of a scene and simultaneously produces
a first polarized polychromatic image beam and a second polarized polychromatic
image beam. The second polarized polychromatic image beam is of a different polarization
than the first polarized polychromatic image beam and is angularly separated from
the first polarized polychromatic image beam. The achromatic beam-splitting polarizer
preferably includes a Wollaston prism through which the polychromatic image beam
passes, and at least one grating through which the polychromatic image beam passes
either before or after it passes through the Wollaston prism. An imaging detector
receives the first polarized polychromatic image beam and the second polarized
polychromatic image beam and produces an output image signal responsive to the
first polarized polychromatic image beam and the second polarized polychromatic
image beam.