Long Range Acquisition and Tracking SWIR Sensor System Comprising Micro-Lamellar Spectrometer

• US 20120170024A1
• Filed: 02/15/2012
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: PFG Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: PFG Ip, LLC
• Inventors: Azzazy, Medhat, Justice, James, Carson, John, Ludwig, David, Hsu, Ying
• Application Number:
  US13/397,275
• Publication Number:
  US 20120170024A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/51
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0202 Mechanical elements; Supports for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0256 Compact construction
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/0259 Monolithic
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/06 Scanning arrangements arrangements for order-selection
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/18 using diffraction elements, e.g. grating gratings per se G02B
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 3/45 Interferometric spectrometry
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/66 Tracking systems using electromagnetic waves other than radio waves
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0808 on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0896 with variable magnification or multiple imaging planes, including multispectral systems systems with only refractive elements G02B15/14
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0808 by means of one or more diffracting elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0891 forming an optical wedge

Abstract

A sensor system is provided having a precision tracking sensor element and a micro-lamellar spectrometer for determining the wavelength of an electromagnetic source such as a laser designator source. Acquisition sensor elements may be provided and mounted on a rotating base element that rotates about a first axis. The precision tracking sensor elements may be mounted on a hinged or pivoting element or gimbal on the housing and provided with drive means to permit a user to selectively manually or automatically direct it toward a scene target of interest detected by the acquisition sensor elements. At least one of the imaging elements in the precision tracking sensor or acquisition sensors is stacked micro-channel plate focal plane array element.

Claims

1. A sensor system comprising:

a first precision tracking element comprising imaging means for providing an electromagnetic illumination beam having a predetermined imaging wavelength and at least one precision tracking photo-detector element,

wherein at least one of the photo-detector elements comprises an electronic module comprising a stack of layers wherein the layers comprise a micro-lens array layer having at least one individual lens element for providing a beam output,

a photocathode layer for generating a photocathode electron output in response to a predetermined range of the electromagnetic spectrum,

a micro-channel plate layer comprising at least one micro-channel for generating a cascaded electron output in response to the photocathode electron output,

a readout circuit layer for processing the output of the micro-channel, and,

spectrometer means for determining the wavelength of an electromagnet imaging source.

2. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the acquisition sensor element is mounted on a rotating base element that rotates about a first axis.

3. The sensor system of claim 1 wherein the precision tracking sensor element is movably mounted to a housing to permit the selective direction toward a predetermined scene of interest.

4. The sensor system of claim 1 further comprising at least one Risley prism assembly.

5. The sensor system of claim 1 comprising Gray code counter circuit means.

6. A sensor system comprising:

a first precision tracking element comprising imaging means for providing an electromagnetic illumination beam having a predetermined imaging wavelength, scanning means for scanning the illumination beam on a target, a parabolic reflector element, a hyperbolic reflector element, beam-splitting means, a first precision tracking photo-detector element responsive to a predetermined first range of the electromagnetic spectrum having a first active field of view, a second precision tracking photo-detector element responsive to a predetermined first range of the electromagnetic spectrum having a first passive field of view, and,

wherein at least one of the photo-detector elements comprises an electronic module comprising a stack of layers wherein the layers comprise a micro-lens array layer comprising at least one individual lens element for providing a beam output,

a photocathode layer for generating a photocathode electron output in response to a predetermined range of the electromagnetic spectrum,

a micro-channel plate layer comprising at least one micro-channel for generating a cascaded electron output in response to the photocathode electron output,

a readout circuit layer for processing the output of the micro-channel, and,

spectrometer means for determining the wavelength of an electromagnet imaging source.

7. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the parabolic reflector element and the hyperbolic reflector element are configured as a Cassegrain reflector telescope assembly.

8. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the illumination beam is projected through and incoming electromagnetic radiation is received through a common aperture.

9. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein at least one of the first and second precision tracking photo-detector elements comprises an electronic module comprising a stack of layers wherein the layers comprise,

a micro-lens array layer comprising at least one lens element for providing a beam output,

a photocathode layer for generating a photocathode electron output in response to a predetermined range of the electromagnetic spectrum,

a micro-channel plate layer comprising at least one micro-channel for generating a cascaded electron output in response to the photocathode electron output, and,

a readout circuit layer for processing the output of the micro-channel.

10. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the readout circuit layer comprises a first sub-layer and a second sub-layer that are electrically coupled by means of a through-silicon via.

11. The sensor system of claim 6 further comprising a thermoelectric cooling layer.

12. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the beam output of the lens element is substantially collimated.

13. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the readout layer is comprised of a set of readout sub-layers comprising a capacitor top metal and analog preamp sub-layer, a filtering and comparator sub-layer and a digital processing sub-layer.

14. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the predetermined ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum comprise ranges selected from the ultraviolet, visible, near-infrared, short-wave infrared, medium-wave infrared, long-wave infrared, far-infrared and x-ray ranges of the electromagnetic spectrum.

15. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the micro-channel plate is comprised of at least one micro-channel having a diameter of less than about 10 microns.

16. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the micro-channel plate is comprised of at least one micro-channel having a diameter of less than about five microns.

17. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the acquisition sensor is mounted on a rotating base element that rotates about a first axis.

18. The sensor system of claim 6 wherein the precision tracking sensor element is movably mounted to a housing so as to be selectively directed toward a predetermined scene of interest.

19. The sensor system of claim 6 further comprising at least one Risley prism assembly.

20. The sensor system of claim 6 comprising Gray code counter circuit means.