Abstract: A time delay integration circuit in which a number of unit cell inputs (101, 103, 105, 107) along with their respective switches (170, 171, 172, 173) are input to a bi-directional BBD circuit (110). The BBD circuit performs an SCA TDI with reduced ROIC circuitry and compatibility with standard LSI processing. The bi-directional BBD circuit has numerous pairs of MOSFETs (111, 112; 113, 114; 115, 116; 117, 118; 119, 120; 121, 122; 123, 124; 125, 126; 127, 128; 129, 130; 131, 132; 133, 134; 135, 136; 137, 138; 139, 140; 141, 142) connected in series and numerous storage capacitors (151, 152,153, 154, 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166) having one of their terminals respectively connected between each of the MOSFET pairs and the other of their terminals alternately connected to clock phases Ø1 and Ø2.

Abstract: A lens assembly is prepared by placing a first lens into an interior of a lens housing with a first side of the lens contacting a seat in a side wall of the lens housing. An annular first retainer is placed into the lens housing contacting a second side of the first lens. A second lens is placed into the lens housing with a first side of the second lens contacting the annular first retainer. An annular second retainer is placed into the lens housing contacting the second side of the second lens. The annular first retainer and the annular second retainer are affixed to the side wall with respective metallic solder or weld joints. The first lens and the second lens are not affixed to the inner side wall.

Abstract: An optical system includes an optical frequency discriminator having a light source of an optical input beam, and an optical bandpass filter having a bandpass filter range and the optical input beam incident thereon at a bandpass-filter angle of incidence and may be desirably be adjusted. The optical bandpass filter transmits a first transmitted beam of a bandpass-filter frequency band and reflects a first reflected beam. An optical second filter has an optical edge in the bandpass range of the bandpass filter and the first reflected beam incident thereon at a second-filter angle of incidence. The optical second filter transmits a second transmitted beam band and reflects a second reflected beam.

Abstract: A fluid detector system for identifying a fluid or detecting presence of a substance in a fluid. The fluid detector includes at least two optical conductors, optical detectors coupled to outputs from the optical conductors; and a comparer for comparing the outputs from the detectors. Each optical conductor has an outer reflective surface. A first one of the optical conductors has a section with at least a portion of its outer reflective surface removed. The comparer can determine an optical refraction index of fluid at the section of the first optical conductor which has the portion of the outer reflective surface removed.

Abstract: A method for preparing a hollow tube of shrinkable polymeric material by providing a hollow tube in an expanded state and partially contracting a portion of the length of the hollow tube. A first length in the expanded state is folded over a second length in the partially contracted state. A body such as a length of electrical cable is inserted into the hollow tube, and the first length is unfolded so that it no longer overlies the second length. The first length and the second length are contracted to the fully contracted state over the body.

Abstract: An air-gap optical structure is fabricated by depositing a metallic spacer structure on a first transmissive optical element, and then contacting a second transmissive optical element to the spacer structure so that the spacer structure lies between the first transmissive optical element and the second transmissive optical element and defines an air gap therebetween. A first layer of the spacer structure contacts the first transmissive optical element, and a second layer of the spacer structure contacts the first layer. The first layer is preferably deposited by vapor deposition and is relatively thin, and the second layer is preferably electroless deposited and is relatively thick. The total thickness of the spacer structure is typically from about 5 to about 15 micrometers.

Abstract: Composite structures having a single continuous skin may be formed using automated fiber placement methods. These composite structures include frameless aircraft fuselage components offering an increased interior cabin width over conventional fuselage components. The composite structures may be constructed of multiple layers of fibers and other materials placed on a fiber placement tool that includes a mandrel body surrounded by a bladder or an integral bladder/caul sheet having expansion spaces created within the caul sheet section. Uncured composite structures may be created by placing fibers around the fiber placement tool in a plurality of discontinuous segments that are capable of moving or sliding in relation to each other so that the uncured composite structure is expandable from within.

Abstract: A munition rack comprises a center strongback with an aircraft attachment hookup structure thereon, a first munition deployment structure, including a first munition deployer, affixed to a first outboard end of the center strongback, and a second munition deployment structure, including a second munition deployer, affixed to a second outboard end of the center strongback. The center strongback, the first munition deployment structure, and the second munition deployment structure are preferably dimensioned such that the distance between a first munition deployer transverse midpoint and a second munition deployer transverse midpoint is at least about 19 inches. There is at least one additional munition deployment structure selectively affixed to the bottom of the center strongback at an inboard location intermediate between the first outboard end and the second outboard end.

Abstract: An improved detector assembly 10 having decreased sensitivity both to Narcissism and to stray light ghosting is disclosed herein. The improved detector assembly 10 of the present invention includes a housing 70 having an input aperture 142 in communication with a chamber within said housing. A detector 130 for sensing electromagnetic energy passing through the input aperture 142 within a first field of view is mounted within the chamber. Also mounted within the chamber is a detector mirror 100 for reflecting energy passing through the input aperture 142 within a second field of view outside of the first field of view. The improved assembly 10 of the present invention further includes a second mirror 110 mounted within the chamber for reflecting energy reflected by the first mirror 100 through the input aperture 142.

Abstract: A microbolometer unit cell (10) includes a substantially planar upper-level incident radiation absorption and detection structure (24), a substantially planar middle-level radiation reflection structure (26) spaced apart from the upper-level incident radiation absorption and detection structure for defining an optical resonant cavity (36) there between, and a substantially planar lower-level thermal isolation leg structure (20) spaced apart from the middle-level radiation reflection structure and electrically coupled to the upper-level incident radiation absorption and detection structure and to an underlying readout circuit. The lower-level thermal isolation leg structure is electrically coupled to the upper-level incident radiation absorption and detection structure through a leg (44) that passes through an aperture (48) within the middle-level radiation reflection structure, the leg also functioning as a structural support member.

Abstract: A dispenser structure for chaff countermeasures includes at least one chaff dispenser having a dispenser tube with a tube sidewall, a dispensing opening, and a female thread structure in an inner surface of the tube sidewall, and a male worm gear engaged to the female thread structure of the dispenser tube. A drive structure has a motor mount upon which the worm gear is rotatably supported, with the motor mount being mechanically reacted to prevent the motor mount from turning, and a drive motor affixed to the motor mount and having a motor output connected to the worm gear to controllably turn the worm gear. Chaff countermeasures are disposed within the dispenser tube between the worm gear and the dispensing opening, so that they may be pushed out the dispensing opening as the motor turns the worm gear.

Abstract: A method for protecting an aircraft against a threat that utilizes an infrared sensor includes providing a plurality of dispensable infrared sources transported in an infrared-source dispenser with the aircraft. A set of infrared-emitting properties of the infrared sources is selected responsive to a set of infrared detecting characteristics of the infrared sensor. A modulated pattern of the infrared sources is dispensed from the infrared-source dispenser responsive to at least one of the set of infrared detecting characteristics of the infrared sensor, and a geometric engagement scenario of the aircraft and the threat.

Abstract: A number of optical devices are fabricated by forming a pattern of channels on a first side of a substrate to define a plurality of mesas on the first side of the substrate. A thin-film optical structure is deposited onto each of the mesas. An excess thickness of the substrate is removed from each thin-film optical device, preferably by temporarily affixing a temporary support to the tops of each thin-film optical structure, removing an excess amount of the substrate from a second side of the substrate so that the thin-film optical devices are isolated from each other but affixed to the temporary support, and separating the tops of the thin-film optical structures from the temporary support.

Abstract: A lightweight multiple missile launch assembly (10) adapted to carry newer heavier Maverick missiles (AGM-65D, E, F, G or K). The invention is illustrated with a BRU-33, 55 or 57 bomb rack (12) adapted to carry two LAU-117 missile launchers (24, 26). The missile launchers (24, 26) are secured to the bomb rack (12) with a suspension unit (20, 22) of unique and novel design. The suspension units (20, 22) allow for releasable engagement of the missile launchers (24, 26). This allows for different missile packages to be deployed in the field.

Abstract: A focal plane array (FPA) of infrared (IR) radiation detectors (20), such as an array of microbolometers, includes an active area (20A) containing a plurality of IR radiation detectors, a readout integrated circuit (ROIC) (12) that is mechanically and electrically coupled to the active area and, disposed on the ROIC, a plurality of heater elements (30A) that are located and operated so as to provide a substantially uniform thermal distribution across at least the active area. The FPA further includes a plurality of temperature sensors (30B), individual ones of which are spatially associated with one of the heater elements for sensing the temperature in the vicinity of the associated heater element for providing closed loop operation of the associated heater element.

Abstract: A 4-prism color management device (600) comprised of first, second, third, and fourth prisms (610, 612, 614, 616). The first prism (610) is adjacent to the second prism (612) with an air gap (620) interposed therebetween, the second prism (612) is adjacent to the third prism (614) with an air gap (624) interposed therebetween, and the third (614) prism is adjacent to the fourth prism (616) with an air gap (626) interposed therebetween. The first prism (610) includes a first surface (630) for inputting and outputting a beam of light. The second prism (612) includes a first dichroic surface (642) mounted at a first angle (&bgr;) with respect to the first surface (630) for reflecting light of a first color and for transmitting light of a second color and light of a third color. The third prism (614) includes a second dichroic surface (644) mounted at a second angle (&khgr;) with respect to the first surface (630) for reflecting light of the second color and for transmitting light of the third color.

Abstract: An optical multiplexing device has at least one light-extraction module intercepting a light beam. Each light-extraction module includes a light band-reflect filter that receives the light beam, reflects a reflected beam of an extracted light wavelength band, and transmits the light beam except for the extracted light wavelength band. A light receiver receives the reflected beam from the light band-reflect filter. A number of the light-extraction modules, each having a light band-reflect filter operable with a different wavelength, serially process the light beam to extract each desired wavelength.

Abstract: In a first aspect of these teachings there is provided a radiation sensor that includes sensor optics having an entrance aperture and a two dimensional array of unit cells (10) spaced away from the aperture. Each unit cell includes a radiation detector (D1) having an output coupled to an input of a gain element, and each gain element is constructed so as to have at least one component with a value selected to set the gain of the gain element to a value that is a function of the unit cell's location along an x-axis and along a y-axis within the two dimensional array. In this manner a compensation is made for a variation of scene illumination across the two dimensional array, where the variation in scene illumination results from a relative intensity of the energy impinging on a unit area of the two dimensional array that varies, for example, by the fourth power of cosine &thgr;, where &thgr; is an angle referenced to an optical axis of the radiation sensor.

Abstract: An integrated optical device array structure has a plurality of interconnected solid state microelectronic optical device elements associated together on a substrate structure. The optical device elements may be optical detectors or optical emitters. Each optical device element lies on a nonplanar optical array surface. Each optical device element includes an opto-electronic device that interconverts an optical signal and an opto-electronic device electrical signal, and an electrical interface circuit that is in electrical communication with the opto-electronic device electrical signal. The optical device array structure may be fabricated by preparing a flat array of optical device elements and deforming the flat array into the required shape.

Abstract: A zero retention force arming apparatus and method used in conjunction with bomb racks, aircraft pylon, or other weapons release systems that use weapons which are armed by the pulling of a lanyard that provides for fail safe operation. The apparatus and method provides an arming unit which releases armed weapons with zero retention force; and it which releases unarmed weapons even in the event of a release system failure.