摘要:
Various embodiments provide an optical alignment apparatus that includes a mirror structure having a plurality of mirrors, the mirror structure being configured for mounting a lens. The plurality of mirrors are arranged so as to redirect a collimated beam of radiation into the lens at different angles so as to measure one or more alignment parameter of the lens.
摘要:
A monolithic body (31) has a compound optical surface that defines a centrally located lens element (31B) that is transmissive to light having wavelengths of interest, such as infrared radiation (IR), and a reflector (31B) disposed about the lens element that is reflective to the light. The monolithic body is comprised of a material selected for fabricating a refractive lens element. The compound optical surface has a centrally located portion defining the lens element surrounded by a generally curved surface region having a reflective coating that defines the reflector. The centrally located portion may be coated with an anti-reflection coating. The compound optical surface is preferably formed in one operation, such as one that uses a diamond point turning operation.
摘要:
A wide-angle IR imaging system (1A) has an entrance aperture (40) for admitting IR from a scene and a dewar (4A) that contains a coldshield (3) that encloses a cooled IR detector (2) disposed at an image plane (2A). The dewar includes a dewar window (4), and an optical axis of the IR imaging system passes through the dewar window and the image plane. The IR imaging system further includes a plurality of uncooled optical elements (22, 24, 26, 28) disposed along the optical axis between the entrance aperture and the dewar window, and a plurality of generally annular reflector segments (18A, 18B) disposed around the optical axis between the dewar window and the entrance aperture. Each of the reflector segments has a reflective surface that faces the dewar window. An opening through an outermost reflector segment furthest from the dewar window defines an effective cooled aperture stop, or warm stop (20A) of the IR imaging system, and at least one of the optical elements (22) is disposed between the effective cooled aperture stop and another one of the reflector segments (18A) that is located nearer to the dewar window. In the preferred embodiment the at least one optical element, and the reflector segment that is located nearer to the dewar window, are comprised of a single monolithic body (31) that has a compound optical surface.
摘要:
According to one embodiment, a radiation sensor comprises a first pixel and a second pixel. The first pixel comprises a first plurality of antenna elements, a first photodetector, and one or more first feed lines coupling the first plurality of antenna elements to the first photodetector. The second pixel comprises a second plurality of antenna elements, a second photodetector, and one or more second feed lines coupling the second plurality of antenna elements to the second photodetector. The second pixel is an off-axis pixel. Signals feeding each of the second plurality of antenna elements are varied such that an effective radiation pattern of the second plurality of antenna elements is reinforced in a desired direction and suppressed in an undesired direction.
摘要:
A radiation shield 40 is mounted to an uncooled portion, such as an outer case 14, of an IR detector assembly 10 such that it surrounds a thermoelectric cooler 16 and a radiation detector 18. The shield 40 has a curved reflective upper surface 42 having the shape of a toric segment and cylindrical or rectangular reflective sidewalls 44 for imaging the detector 18 and the upper cooler stage upon the tops and sides of lower and slightly warmer cooler stages, which absorb and eliminate radiative energy. This beneficially reduces the heat load upon the coldest stage by excluding hotter surfaces from its view, and by inhibiting reflective couplings of unwanted energy admitted by aperture 46. An aperture 46 defines the effective coldstop for the detector 18.
摘要:
Two broad blackbody sources (24, 26) having a constantly maintained temperature differential therebetween are alternately directed via a chopper (40) onto a detector array (12) for testing same.
摘要:
A position of a feature in a scene is located by forming an image of the feature using a segmented array having a plurality of array subelements. Each of the array subelements has an output signal. The output signals from at least two spatially adjacent array subelements are cooperatively analyzed to establish a data set reflective of an extent to which output signals responsive to the image of the feature are produced from exactly one or from more than one of the adjacent array subelements. The data set is used to reach a conclusion as to a location of the image of the feature on the segmented array. Increased positional accuracy is attained with no loss of sensitivity.
摘要:
A method and system of time-to-intercept determination for a radiation source using passively-sensed irradiance data. The invention provides a plurality of noise reduction features to reduce the noise present in the data and improve the accuracy of the time-to-intercept computation. The method includes reducing data noise by defining an acceptable noise level and eliminating any excessively noisy data from the time-to-intercept computation. The method further includes constantly updating the time-to-intercept computation by using irradiance values that are advanced in time. Other features of the present invention includes averaging of irradiance values over a time interval, filtering of the irradiance data received by the method, and triggering at a predetermined time-to-intercept. The invention also includes a time-to-intercept system and processor implementing the above method.
摘要:
An imaging sensor system includes an optics system that images a point feature of a scene at an image plane with a blur-circle image having a blur diameter, and a detector array at the image plane. Special array patterns and signal detector logic are used to improve the accuracy of the determination of the object location. In one form, the detector array is a one-dimensional detector array comprising a plurality of detector subelements each having a width of from about ½ to about 5 blur diameters, and a length of n blur diameters. Each detector subelement overlaps each of two adjacent detector subelements along their lengths. An overlap of each of the two adjacent detector subelements is m blur diameters, and a center-to-center spacing of each of the two adjacent detector subelements is nO blur diameters. The value of n is equal to about 3m, and the value of m is equal to about nO/2. In another form, the detector is a two-dimensional detector array of detector subelements. The detector subelements are sized and staggered such that an area of the blur-circle image may not simultaneously be split equally among four detector subelements.
摘要:
An infrared sensor element having an antenna coupled directly into a rectifier. Infrared radiation impinging the antenna induces an alternating current. The rectifier converts the alternating current into a rectified signal. The rectified signal corresponds to a magnitude of the incident infrared radiation impinging the antenna, and can be used for detection and imaging operations. Coupling the antenna directly into the rectifier eliminates the need for a photodetector. The wavelength of sensor elements can be separately tuned. A sensor made up of a plurality of such sensor elements can operate in a time-division multiplexed mode sensing different infrared bandwidths in separate time segments. Two or more sensors each made up of a plurality of sensor elements can be co-located in a single focal plane and operated separately to detect infrared radiation in different bandwidths. A sensor element can also operate in bandwidths other than infrared.