Abstract: A charge-coupled imaging device (FIG. 3) is thinned to allow for backside illumination. The device is further enhanced using ion implantation techniques to establish an electrical field (44) at the back surface, which functions to drive free electrons to potential wells generated beneath a gate structure (40) on the front surface. The device structure allows for both front side and backside illumination and is useful as a imaging device in applications where it is necessary to combine images from two different optical sources. The imaging device is particularly useful in terrestrial guidance systems (FIG. 5) where the imaging device is used to detect guide stars from a large guide star field. In such systems, the imaging device must be translated within an X-Y plane in order to cover the entire guide star field. In order to accurately know the position of the imaging device, optical fiducial marks are imaged onto a side of the imaging device opposite the side receiving the guide star photons.

Abstract: A focal plane array (10) of radiation detectors (10b) has all features inclined with respect to an illuminating beam of radiation. That is, all features that would be orthogonally disposed with respect to an incoming wavefront are instead inclined to the incoming wavefront, an arrangement referred to as compound tipping. The disclosed embodiments of the invention create a compound tipping of the focal plane array such that there are no features of the array, such as mesa edges and sidewalls, that lie in the plane of the incoming wavefront. As a result, only a small amount of scattered light is observed, and the optical signature is significantly reduced. The invention substantially eliminates the optical signature by simultaneously tipping the focal plane features (optically and/or mechanically) in both major array axes, without degrading the imaging performance of the detective assembly.

Abstract: A cylindrical container inner surface tester which illuminates an opening of a test container. The test container is located at a predetermined position with its opening set levelly to capture the opening through a TV camera. The tester also detects black and white spots on the inner surface of the cylindrical container. This is accomplished by analyzing an image obtained by the TV camera using defect detecting means. The tester includes a frame memory which stores a multi-value continuous tone image signal as image data. The image signal is obtained by A/D-converting from a continuous tone image signal obtained by scanning the captured image. The tester also includes an area detecting unit which generates a binary image signal by binary-converting from a multi-value continuous tone image signal read by horizontally or vertically scanning the frame memory. This is accomplished using a predetermined threshold. The area detecting unit is also used to determine a test area.

Abstract: An imaging system which measures the field variance of distorted light waves is described in which a set of short exposure "distorted" images of an object is collected, and a field variant data processing methodology applied in the digital domain, resulting in an image estimate which approaches the diffraction limited resolution of the underlying physical imaging system as if the distorting mechanism were not present. By explicitly quantifying and compensating for the field variance of the distorting media, this invention allows for arbitrarily wide fields to be imaged, well beyond the prior art limits imposed by isoplanatism. The preferred embodiment comprehensively eliminates the blurring effects of the atmosphere for ground based telescopes, removing a serious limitation that has plagued the use of telescopes since the time of Newton.

Abstract: A system for detecting and tracking targets or objects located in the earth's shadow. The system senses and processes starlight from one or more stars. More particularly, the stellar background provides an illumination source with which targets are detected as they eclipse or occlude one or more stars. The system includes a receiver which collects incident starlight and a sensor, coupled to the receiver, for sensing the collected starlight focused thereon by the receiver and for providing a sensor output signal indicating the intensity of the sensed starlight. A signal processor, responsive to the sensor output signal, provides a target detection signal indicating whether a target has crossed the line of sight between the receiver and one or more stars. The signal processor may be further responsive to a stellar background catalog for providing the target detection signal with bearing information indicating the bearing of a detected target.

Abstract: A sensor device which registers the amount of moisture on a transparent screen. The sensor is connected to at least one light conducting element which is provided on one side with at least one beam emitter and on the other side with at least one beam receiver. The light conducting element is provided with a layer of reflecting material to enable multiple reflection of the beam issuing from the beam emitter.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method are provided for selectively eliminating weeds in agriculture operations. To provide selective elimination, at least two light (radiation) emitters, powered by an internal power source, are modulated to switch on and off at very high speeds. Each emitter emits radiation of a different emitter wavelength. The on/off modulation of one emitter is phase shifted by approximately 90.degree. with respect to the modulation of the other emitter. The pair of emitters are focused on a particular spot on the ground. The light beams, provided by the emitters, are reflected off a plant or the soil and are intercepted by a photodetector. Because plants have a characteristic spectral reflectance in regions of the electromagnetic spectrum which can be discriminated from the spectral reflectance of the background earth, the relative amplitudes of the reflected radiation at the two emitter wavelengths varies depending on whether the radiation is reflected off a plant or the soil.

Abstract: A light source generates probe light to be radiated on a sample. An optical probe has a pin hole at its distal end and selectively supplies the probe light to the sample through the pin hole. An optical detecting unit detects light emerging from the sample and converts it to an electrical signal. The light source generates the probe light whose intensity changes in the pulse-like manner. The optical detecting unit detects the light emerging from the sample in synchronism with an increase in probe light which changes in the pulse-like manner and converts it to the electric signal. Therefore, noise which is conventionally converted to an electrical signal can be decreased even when the probe light which changes in the pulse-like manner is decreased, and measurement can be performed at a high S/N ratio even if the pin hole diameter is small. As a result, the resolution of a near field scanning optical microscope can be improved.

Abstract: An image intensifier 18 is comprised of an evacuated chamber, an input surface 16 having a florescent material thereon for converting incident radiation into a visible light representative of the incident radiation, a photocathode layer 20 disposed closely adjacent the input surface for emitting a cloud of free electrons 22 into the evacuated chamber in proportion to the intensity of visible light at each point thereon, and an output surface 26 having a scintillating material thereon for converting electrons impinging thereon into a relatively bright light image proportional to the electron energy at each point on the output surface said light image having a first aspect ratio. An electrical potential 24 accelerates the free electrons from the photo-cathode to the output surface. A fiber optic bundle 28 comprised of an input face, positioned outside the chamber to view the bright light image at the output surface, and an output face 34 is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates mainly to a detection cell, a matrix detector using such cells, a sensor including such a detector, and a spectroscope including such a sensor. The invention provides a photon detection cell comprising a superconducting element, in particular of niobium, that is sensitive to photons of the radiation to be detected or to phonons generated by such photons, in particular by breaking Cooper pairs into quasi-particles and by means of a superconducting tunnel junction including a superconducting electrode, the cell being delimited by a plurality of spaced-apart superconducting tunnel junctions that are distributed around the periphery of the cell. The device of the invention is applicable to counting photons, and thus mainly to acquiring and processing information coming from faint radiation sources.

Abstract: The growing portion of a single crystal 1 grown by the pull method is recorded and the image signal is output to a digitizing circuit 3 that converts the image signal into binary data. A memory device 4 stores the digitized images and the point P at the boundary between dark and light is detected by scanning the stored digitized images starting from the scanning-start pixel and proceeding in the direction parallel to the direction of single crystal pulling. The diameter D of the growing portion of the single crystal is determined based upon the boundary P, and the scanning-start pixel for the current operation is set at the pixel that is separated from the boundary Pb in the preceding operation by a preset number of pixels d in the opposite direction of the scan.

Abstract: A holographic laser target acquisition and tracking system with aberration compensation including a detector array, a master-oscillator (MO), a hologram processor, a spatial light modulator (SLM) and a slave oscillator which is referred to as a Holographic Interactive Tracker system. The operation of the system consists of two steps. In step one, an acquisition step, a diverging laser beam (acquisition beam) from the laser oscillator is transmitted to a target 38. The beam divergence is typically much larger than the target angular extent. A fraction of the diverging energy intercepted by the target is returned, as a beam or as diffuse radiation, and collected by a receiver optic. This target return is interfered with a master oscillator beam from the MO on the electronic detector array, thereby forming an electro-optic hologram. The detector array is read out pixel by pixel and applied to the hologram processor which enhances the hologram by subtracting out the d.c. component.

Abstract: Fiber optic sensing means for the detection and measurement of events such as dynamic loadings imposed upon elastic materials including cementitious materials, elastomers, and animal body components and/or the attrition of such elastic materials are provided. One or more optical fibers each having a deformable core and cladding formed of an elastomeric material such as silicone rubber are embedded in the elastic material. Changes in light transmission through any of the optical fibers due the deformation of the optical fiber by the application of dynamic loads such as compression, tension, or bending loadings imposed on the elastic material or by the attrition of the elastic material such as by cracking, deterioration, aggregate break-up, and muscle, tendon, or organ atrophy provide a measurement of the dynamic loadings and attrition.

Abstract: Target based machine vision useful for alignment of sensors and other objects affixed to structures, robots and the like. While addressed particularly to alignment of machine vision systems relative to structures, the techniques disclosed are useful with a multitude of different sensors and objects.

Abstract: A multichannel imaging spectrometer for airborne geological, geophysical and environmental surveys in a moving vehicle. An optical scanner employs a rotating polygon allowing reduced scan optics with increased data acquisition efficiency. Multiple spectrometers integrally registered allow channelization of the received signal to optimize noise performance in the range from ultraviolet through infrared. Output data is in a form for recording and real time display. A staring mode configuration provides enhanced sensitivity by using a two-dimensional detector array and adjustable mirror orientation. A scanning mode embodiment employs a two-dimensional detector array with time delay integration and three-dimensional storage of temporal spatial data and spectral wavelength and intensity. Thus, all channels are acquired simultaneously, resulting in perfect band-to-band registration with continuous spectral curves over the field of view.

Abstract: A night vision device with a modular assembly includes an image intensifier module or assembly, which includes an image intensifier tube and a power supply. The image intensifier tube receives low-level light from a scene too dark to be viewed with the unaided eye, and provides a visible representative image of the scene in phosphor yellow/green light. The power supply receives low-voltage power from a source, such as a battery, and provides power at voltages appropriate for operation of the image intensifier tube. The module includes a separable high-voltage connector for electrically connecting the power supply to the image intensifier tube. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connector includes structure for physically connecting the power supply and image intensifier tube in separable nested relationship while also providing environmental protection to electrical connector features of the module.

Abstract: An optical switching device comprises a light emitting device, a reflector for reflecting a light emitted by the light emitting device and having a plurality of set states, a reflected light distribution being changed by switching the set state, a pair of photo-sensing devices for sensing a light from the reflector, and a detector for detecting a difference between light amounts sensed by the photo-sensing devices. The set state of the reflector is discriminated based .on the detection output of the detector.

Abstract: A laser beam scanning apparatus provided with a first photosensor for detecting a laser beam which has passed through an optical member and a second photosensor for detecting the laser beam without passing through the optical member to prevent the breakage of the laser beam emitting source. The intensity of the laser beam is controlled on the basis of the output signal from the first photosensor and moreover, the supply of power to a laser beam emitting source is stopped when a difference between the intensities of the laser beam detected by the first and second photosensors exceeds a predetermined value due to any contamination of the optical member.

Abstract: In a rotation detector, a light beam from a light irradiating device is projected onto a first scale of an optical scale comprising gratings having a constant period provided around a cylindrical member of a rotating member, the light beam modulated by the first scale is projected onto a second scale of the optical scale via a region away from the center of the rotation shaft of the rotating member, the light beams as a result of modulation by the second scale are sensed by a light sensing device, and information regarding the rotation of the rotating member is detected using signals from the light sensing device.

Abstract: A method of controlling the dynamic range of a CCD or similar device. The method is used in connection with a charge-coupled device or like structure of known construction having a photogate region in which charge is generated at a rate proportional to the intensity of incident electromagnetic radiation. The photogate accumulates charge during a predetermined exposure period. A sink region is disposed to receive excess charge from the photogate region, and the passage of charge from the photogate region to the sink region is controlled by a control gate of the type commonly used for integration control. A second gated region is present for receiving charge from the photogate region for transporting charge therefrom.