Abstract: An image processing system and method. The image processing system acquires a first set of scan lines in at first field of image data and a second set of scan lines in a second field of image data; the second set of scan lines are interlaced relative to the first set of scan lines and performs a line by line correlation therebetween to provide an error signal or value. The first and second fields are buffered and coupled to a line-to-line correlator. The error signal is used to adjust either the first or the second set of scan lines to correct for skew or blur in the second field of image data.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A glaze encapsulated solid-state laser component. The novel laser component includes a core and a cladding of ceramic glaze disposed on a surface of the core. In an illustrative embodiment, the core is fabricated from a laser gain medium and the cladding material is a multi-oxide eutectic ceramic glaze having a refractivity slighter lower than the refractivity of the gain medium, such that the glaze layer forms a step-index refractivity interface cladding that can effectively suppress parasitic oscillations in the core gain medium. The glaze cladding can be applied by coating the core with the glaze and then firing the glaze coated core, or by fabricating pre-formed cladding strips from the ceramic glaze in a first firing cycle, mounting the pre-formed strips to the core, and then fusing the pre-formed strips to the core in a secondary firing cycle.

Abstract: An erase-on-demand memory cell 10(1) includes a memory layer 110 and a heating layer 130 that can heat memory layer 110 to at least an erase-effective temperature, to erase its data contents. Memory chips 270(1) and electronic systems 200 include cells 10(1). Electronic systems 200(1) include logic circuitry 210 to issue a signal to initiate heating. Electronic systems 200(2) include memory chips 270(2) with one or more erase-on-demand memory cells 10(2) that include a memory layer 110. One or more reservoirs 262 store chemicals. One or more valves 252 retain the chemicals, and respond to a signal to open, reacting the chemicals and/or exposing memory layers 110 to the chemicals. A method of erasing data contents of memory cells includes determining existence of an erase demand scenario, generating a signal in response to the erase demand scenario, and actuating erasure of the memory cells upon issue of the signal.

Abstract: A global positioning system receiver with a system and method for parallel synchronization. The novel receiver includes a correlator having plural demodulator channels for receiving a signal from a first satellite, and a processor for processing the signal from the first satellite using a plurality of the channels. The processor includes a parallel synchronization process for synchronizing the receiver with the signal. In an illustrative embodiment, the processor is adapted to instruct the plurality of channels to track the signal from the first satellite in parallel, each channel using a different timing hypothesis. Only the channel determined to have the correct timing is retained for tracking the satellite. For the first satellite only, the processor also demodulates the hand-over word and determines a GPS transmit time. The parallel synchronization process is then repeated for subsequent satellites in turn.

Abstract: A laser. The novel laser includes a gain medium, a pump source adapted to optically excite the gain medium in a first location, and a resonator adapted to extract energy from the gain medium in a second location distinct from the first location. In an illustrative embodiment, the gain medium is comprised of a plurality of solid-state gain particles suspended in a fluid. The gain medium is adapted to flow, and optical excitation of the gain medium occurs outside of the resonator. In a preferred embodiment, the flow velocity and the density of gain particles in the gain medium are adjusted for optimal absorption efficiency during optical excitation and then for optimal extraction efficiency in the resonator. In addition, the resonator may be shaped for optimal extraction efficiency, while pump modules that hold the gain medium during optical excitation are shaped for optimal absorption efficiency.

Abstract: A water-stable and water-soluble ceramic precursor is provided, containing at least one Group III element. Also, a metal acid salt complex is provided comprising (1) bismuth, lanthanum, and titanium, and (2) a polyether acid. In addition, methods are provided for preparing the Group III metal acid salt complex and the Bi, La, Ti acid salt complex comprising a bismuth polyether acid salt complex, a lanthanum polyether acid salt complex, and a titanium polyether acid salt complex. Finally, devices that include lanthanum-doped bismuth titanate as the active component are provided, as well as a water-stable and water-soluble gallium polyether acid complex.

Abstract: A system and method for finding edge orientation and magnitude, and extracting a road path from an image. An image is segmented into at least a first window and a second window. A first road segment having plural parameters within the first window is specified. Plural road segments are identified, each having plural parameters, in the second window. The orientation of plural line segments in the second window are determined, and paired, based on their orientation. The line segment orientations are determined by receiving a plurality of edge orientation estimates, transforming a portion of them, and aggregating the transformed portion into an edge orientation estimate. A stochastic process is performed on the plural parameters of the plural road segments to identify a second road segment having the maximum correlation with the plural parameters of the first road segment.

Abstract: A laser rod is provided having a tailored gain profile such that the quality of the output beam is enhanced. The laser rod has a concentration of active substitutional ions that is relatively high at the center of the rod and decreases to the surface of the rod. The laser rod further has a concentration of pre-active laser ions that is relatively high at the surface of the rod and decreases to the center of the rod. Methods are disclosed for creating a layer of inactive laser species in the near surface region of a laser rod using substitutional dopant ions and for creating a laser rod with a tailored gain profile such that the quality of the output beam is enhanced.

Abstract: A glaze soldered solid-state laser active medium. The novel laser active medium includes a first section of a first material, a second section of a second material, and a layer of ceramic glaze joining the two sections. The first and second materials may be identical, similar, or dissimilar, and may include crystals or ceramics. The glaze is a multi-oxide eutectic ceramic glaze having a refractivity, light absorption, thermal expansion, and fusion temperature that are compatible with the first material. The sections are joined using a novel glaze soldering process that includes the steps of positioning the sections, applying the ceramic glaze between the sections, and firing the glaze to solder the sections together.

Abstract: A dual band imager includes a radiation absorbing layer for absorbing light of a first wavelength coupled to a readout circuit (ROIC), and at least one radiation detector for detecting light of a second wavelength coupled to the ROIC via a corresponding opening extending through the radiation absorbing layer.

Abstract: A beam control system and method. The system includes an illuminator for providing a first beam of electromagnetic energy at a first wavelength; a source for providing a second beam of electromagnetic energy at a second wavelength; and an arrangement for compensating wavefront errors in the second beam using a bias representative of a comparison between the first wavelength and the second wavelength. In the illustrative embodiment, the arrangement includes a processor which corrects wavefront errors using a bias representative of a difference between said first wavelength and said second wavelength. In the disclosed application, a target wavefront sensor is included and the laser is a high-energy laser beam. The wavefront errors include a chromatic aberration and the errors are compensated using a deformable mirror and a correction algorithm executed by an adaptive optics processor. In one alternative embodiment, the errors are compensated using an optical aberration corrector.

Abstract: An outcoupler having a wavelength selective, angle sensitive element or Bragg grating and an arrangement for maintaining the element in a predetermined orientation relative to an incident beam of electromagnetic energy. The Bragg grating may be reflective or transmissive. The inventive outcoupler may be used to implement a phase conjugate master oscillator power amplifier with an oscillator; a resonator in operational alignment with the oscillator; and an outcoupler in alignment with the oscillator. In the best mode, second and third Bragg gratings are included within the oscillator and the resonator, respectively.

Abstract: An object such as an aircraft in flight is obscured from infrared detection when viewed from an external viewing location. The method includes providing the object having an externally viewable hot region associated therewith, wherein the hot region has a temperature greater than 150° C. A source of an obscuring agent is provided, wherein the obscuring agent comprises a mixture of carbon dioxide gas and water vapor. The obscuring agent is ejected from a dispensing location so as to flow between the hot region and the external viewing location. The obscuring agent has a temperature of less than that of the hot region.

Abstract: A differential amplifier topology includes circuitry to create a higher bandwidth output using less current than an existing Capacitive Trans-Impedance Amplifier (CTIA) using an all Field Effect Transistor (FET) circuit design. A bipolar npn emitter follower in the circuit topology provides low output impedance and some degree of output inductive peaking, and the CTIA differential output is buffered by the bipolar npn emitter follower in the CTIA feedback loop such as the open-loop high voltage gain is maintained without being affected by output loads.

Abstract: A space-fed conformal array for a high altitude airship includes a primary array lens assembly adapted for conformal mounting to a non-planar airship surface. The lens assembly includes a first set of radiator elements and a second set of radiator elements, the first set and the second set spaced apart by a spacing distance. The first set of radiators faces outwardly from the airship surface to provide a radiating aperture. The second set of radiators faces inwardly toward an inner space of the airship, for illumination by a feed array spaced from the second set of radiators.

Abstract: A thermal nonlinear cell and method. The cell includes a substantially planar nonlinear medium and a mechanism for removing thermal energy from the medium in a direction substantially orthogonal to said medium. In one embodiment, the mechanism for removing thermal energy is a thermally conductive window mounted adjacent to the medium. Preferably, the mechanism includes plural thermally conductive windows between which the nonlinear medium is disposed. In the best mode, the windows are sapphire and the nonlinear medium is a fluid. The windows and the medium are transmissive with respect to first and second beams that interfere with each other and create an interference pattern in the cell. The interference pattern is sampled by a sampling hologram created within the multiple layers of the medium. The interference pattern is used via a sampling hologram to create a phase conjugate of a signal beam. The windows move thermal energy from the medium in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the medium.

Abstract: An optical pulse-width modifier structure includes a first diffraction grating and an optically unpowered reversing mirror. An optical path extends between the first diffraction grating and the optically unpowered reversing mirror. A second diffraction grating lies on the optical path between the first diffraction grating and the optically unpowered mirror. A set of optically powered mirrors lies on the optical path between the first diffraction grating and the second diffraction grating. The diffraction gratings and mirrors are positioned such that an input light beam is diffracted from the first diffraction grating, reflected from each of the set of optically powered mirrors, diffracted from the second diffraction grating, reflected from the optically unpowered reversing mirror back to the second diffraction grating, diffracted from the second diffraction grating, reflected from each of the set of optically powered mirrors, and diffracted from the first diffraction grating as an output light beam.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A unit cell (20) is disclosed that has an input node for coupling to an output of a detector (D1) of electromagnetic radiation, such as IR or visible radiation. The unit cell includes a first capacitor (CintA) switchably coupled to the input node for receiving a charge signal from the detector, and for integrating the charge signal during a first integration period, as well as a second capacitor (CintB)switchably coupled to the input node for integrating the charge signal during a second integration period. The unit cell further includes an output multiplexer (32, 34) for selectively coupling the first capacitor and the second capacitor to an output signal line (38) during respective charge signal readout periods. In the preferred embodiment a duration of the first integration period is one of greater than or less than the second integration period, and the first integration period is one of non-overlapping or overlapping with the second integration period, and vice versa.