Wiregrid polarizers are commonly employed as optical components in polarization sensitive imaging systems in the
infrared waveband. Achieving acceptable performance from wiregrid polarizers typically requires small feature sizes
and small periods, large aspect ratios, and subtle control over duty cycle. In many cases, the metrics mentioned above
can be realized with manufacturing techniques developed in the semiconductor industry. However, metrology
techniques commonly utilized in the semiconductor industry are not necessarily conducive to measuring the effective
performance across a large substrate. These techniques typically allow testing or inspection of only very small scale
representations of the subwavelength features on the wiregrid polarizers. These techniques - for example the scanning
electron micrograph, or SEM - may also damage the wiregrid polarizer. In this paper we present a non-destructive
optical imaging method for measuring the performance of the entire infrared wiregrid polarizer produced on a 200mm
substrate. This test method allows the users to see large scale errors present during the fabrication process that may not
be visible with other metrology techniques. In addition, this technique directly correlates polarizer performance to
manufacturing errors.
Polarization signature information is becoming more useful as an added discriminant in a variety of signature analysis applications. However, there are few infrared scene projection systems that provide the capability to inject object simulation images with polarization content into an imaging sensor. In this paper, we discuss a polarization scene generator that is applicable to testing polarimetric sensor systems. The system was originally designed for operation in cryogenic-vacuum environments to test sensors subject to cold operation. However, it is also applicable to testing warm sensors that are sensitive to polarimetric signatures. This polarization scene generator is currently designed for mid-wave infrared (MWIR) operation. It includes two table-top sparse emitter arrays with individually addressable pixels, polarizers, a beam combiner, and filters to provide flexibility in spectral content. The emitter arrays are combined to generate an output with independent linearly polarized content. The current system generates S1 polarization states, S2 polarization states, or a linear combination of the two. The concept is robust because it is relatively unconstrained by the infrared (IR) scene generators used or the sensors tested.
Polarimetric remote sensing has demonstrated utility for improving contrast between man-made targets and complex
backgrounds. More specifically, polarimetric signatures of man-made targets can be useful for cueing analysts in widearea
search applications. However, taking the target cueing to the next level of identification and tracking may require
tasking of other sensing modalities. We present research that aims to understand what pose information might be
extracted from the polarimetric signatures of under-resolved targets. Through experimentally collected and simulated
imagery, we examine the variation in target signatures with respect pose and the relative sensor position aiming to
extend the intelligence value of polarimetric imagery.
We have evaluated wire grid polarizers for the thermal infrared in the 3 to 12μm wavelength range. Wire grid structures
are an effective means of producing infrared polarizers with short optical path and having large acceptance angles.
Performance of two sets of polarizers manufactured by Moxtek, for the 3-5μm and 8-12μm wavelength ranges, were
tested in a Mueller matrix spectropolarimeter and found to have transmission ratios on the order of 1000.
Polarization signature information is becoming more useful as an added classifier in a variety of signature analysis
applications. However, there are few infrared (IR) scene
projection systems that provide the capability to inject target
simulation images with polarization content into a seeker, or
other imaging sensor. In a previous paper1 we discussed
experimental results for an infrared (IR) polarized scene
generator (PSG) concept demonstrator. The concept
demonstrator operated in ambient environmental conditions and
displayed polarized scenes of resolved targets. The IR PSG
demonstrator that is the goal of this research must be capable of
testing sensor systems operating in cryogenic-vacuum (cryo-vac
or CV) environments. The IR PSG must also be able to
accurately project scenes with unresolved polarized targets. As
part of the development process, several potential PSG
components are being tested in ambient and liquid nitrogen
(LN2) environments to verify functionality and changes in
behavior at ambient, vacuum, and cryovac conditions. This
paper presents test data for several of the components.
Components tested were an IR source, a polarizer, and motion
control components. We also present test data for an imaging
polarimeter being developed to validate the PSG.
Polarization signature information is becoming more useful as an added discriminant in a variety of signature analysis
applications. However, there are few infrared scene projection systems that provide the capability to inject target
simulation images with polarization content into a seeker, or other imaging sensor. In this paper, we discuss a
polarization scene generator (PSG) concept that is applicable to testing sensor systems operating in cryogenic-vacuum
environments. This polarization scene generator concept demonstrator system was constructed from off-the-shelf
technology using commercially available mid-wave infrared (MWIR) scene projectors based on micromirror device
display technology, standard infrared polarizers, and standard IR cameras. The demonstrator system used two digital
micromirror device (DMD)-based displays, each projecting orthogonal polarization states, which were then combined to
generate images with pixels having independent S1 or S2 polarization content. This concept is robust because it is
relatively unconstrained by the IR scene generators used or by the seekers tested. This paper discusses the test results of
the concept demonstrator system with regard to sensitivity to misalignment, radiance mismatch, and display uniformity.
Polarization signature information is becoming more useful as an added discriminant in a variety of signature analysis
applications. However, there are few infrared scene projection systems that provide the capability to inject target
simulation images with polarization content into a seeker, or other imaging sensor. In this paper, we discuss a
polarization scene generator (PSG) concept that is applicable to testing sensor systems operating in cryogenic-vacuum
environments. This polarization scene generator concept demonstrator system was constructed from off-the-shelf
technology using commercially available mid-wave infrared (MWIR) scene projectors based on micromirror device
display technology, standard infrared polarizers, and standard IR cameras. The demonstrator system used two digital
micromirror device (DMD)-based displays, each projecting orthogonal polarization states, which were then combined to
generate images with pixels having independent S1 or S2 polarization content. This concept is robust because it is
relatively unconstrained by the IR scene generators used or by the seekers tested. This paper discusses the test results of
the concept demonstrator system with regard to sensitivity to misalignment, radiance mismatch, and display uniformity.
The goal of this effort was to design, develop, and demonstrate diffractive anti-reflection structures (DARS) on gallium arsenide (GaAs). Structures were designed and fabricated in GaAs intended to reduce the reflectance to infrared radiation from 1-10 microns wavelength. Design trade studies were performed to determine the optimum overall depth and period of the structure. The wafers were coated with UV sensitive photoresist and exposed in our interferometric stepper and our reduction stepper. Patterned areas were approximately 1cm x 1cm square. The wafers were then developed and measured to determine that the appropriate size and shape had been achieved prior to etching the pattern into the substrate. The wafer was etched in a plasma reactor to transfer the developed pattern into the GaAs. The depth and period of the surface was characterized using an atomic force microscope and a Scanning Electron Microscope. Reflectance spectra were measured for several angles of incidence.
The application of liquid crystal spatial light modulation devices to reducing deleterious phase distortions on beam quality in flashlamp pumped dye lasers was investigated. Due to the birefringence and nematic properties of the liquid crystal devices (LCDs), the LCDs behaved as tunable etalons when used intra-cavity. Using a grating with a multi-prism Littrow configuration and the LCD intra-cavity, linewidths on the order of 100 MHz were observed.
Current AMLCD panel pixels are divided into sub-pixels each covered by red, green, or blue absorptive color filters to transmit each of the color components. This method discards 2/3 of available light and causes these displays to be highly inefficient. Using a diffractive color separation filter, DCSF, a much higher percentage of energy from the back-light is used in the display, which can be translated into higher brightness and lower power consumption. Such a DCSF is designed to separate the colors and focus the desired bands onto the apertures of the color pixels. The black matrix is used to block the undesired wavebands. Two basic prototype models were designed and fabricated. The first filter design constraints focusing elements and the second filter contains no focusing elements. This paper present testing results from the two prototype diffractive color separation filter designs.
Experimental investigating the possibility of optical processing through turbulent media were investigated and a model for turbulence is discussed. A technique for creating an optical device to display the turbulence model real-time is introduced and a technique for removing the turbulence is demonstrated.
This paper discusses a method for reconstructing images using a joint transform optical correlator (JTC) architecture. The architecture employs a single liquid crystal television (LCTV) as the spatial light modulator (SLM) operating only on the phase of the incident coherent light. The wavelet transform (WT)-based image decomposition and synthesis is performed in the transform plane instead of the correlation, or wavelet transform plane. While the method presented here does not yield a true reconstruction in the strictest sense, it has many useful characteristics. Experimental results are presented as well.
This paper discusses the combination of the wavelet transform with the scale invariant Mellin transform in an optical joint transform correlator (JTC) architecture. A mathematical and numerical analysis are presented with three optical designs for performing the Mellin-wavelet joint transform.
Interferometric techniques have been employed by a number of investigators to determine the phase modulating characteristics of popular spatial light modulators. The technique works well but requires the set-up and operation of a sensitive interferometer. A non-interferometric technique is presented for determining the phase modulating characteristics of spatial light modulators. Examining the far field diffraction pattern distribution for specific input functions allows the phase modulation to be calculated. The degree of phase modulation appears in the Fourier transform as an intensity modulation which can be measured. Results are compared with usual interferometric techniques for a liquid crystal based modulator.
This paper addresses some of the performance issues associated with performing the wavelet transform (WT) using the joint transform correlator (JTC), specifically the phase-only JTC (POJTC). The current POJTC architecture, called the POWJTC, utilizes a single liquid crystal television (LCTV) as a spatial light modulator (SLM) operating only on the phase of the incident coherent light. Many JTC-based WT architectures have used hard-clipped bandpass filters as wavelet functions, filtering the joint transform power spectrum (JTPS) to enhance the correlation SNR for two inputs (not including the wavelet). It has been demonstrated that, by encoding the wavelet and the object to be analyzed in the input plane of the POJTC, a true WT, in the sense that the WT is a correlation integral, can be achieved. However, the correlation output contains many more terms than the normal amplitude-only JTC (AOJTC) that may affect the performance, and there are restrictions associated with this encoding process. A mathematical description based on scalar fields, accompanied by simulations and experimental results, is presented.
This paper focuses on the experimental combination of two topical technologies: (1) the joint transform correlator (JTC) and (2) the wavelet transform (WT). The result is an optical wavelet processor utilizing liquid crystal televisions (LCTV) as phase-only spatial light modulators (SLM) in a JTC architecture. The mathematical formalism of the optical wavelet processor is presented followed by simulations involving amplitude- and phase-only SLM operation.
In this paper, a multichannel optical wavelet processor and a matching pursuit processor capable of enhancing the detection of cluttered targets are presented. Wavelet functions have zero-mean and are virtually band-pass filters. In many cases, targets and clutter are separable in the spatial spectral domain. Therefore, by selecting wavelet functions that represent features of targets but are insensitive to that of clutter, targets can be extracted from the input scene while clutter is suppressed. Due to dyadic sampling, a multichannel optical wavelet processor with a limited number of channels can detect regions of interest for different targets. With matching pursuit decomposition, features of targets are extracted and represented in a few wavelets known as coherent structure; whereas clutter and noise are diluted across the dictionary. Clutter and noise can then be effectively removed from the signal by a simple thresholding operation. A time-frequency energy distribution can be derived from matching pursuit decomposition, which contains no interference terms and thus clearly characterized the input signal in the time-frequency plane. Optical architectures of these processors are described. Simulated and experimental results are provided.
The wavelet transform is applied to signal processing of synthetic aperture radar and techniques for determining the range, cross-range, and rotation of the target as well as adaptive process for better resolution are studied. We also optically implement the wavelet transform in the laboratory for real-time processing of radar data, and describe methods for adaptive processing.
The wavelet transform is applied to signal processing of synthetic aperture radar, and techniques for determining the range, cross-range, and rotation of the target are studied. The wavelet transform was also implemented optically in the laboratory for real-time processing of the radar data.
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