Abstract: A method and apparatus for protecting an optical sensor is disclosed. A fixed filter having a fixed passband for light transmission is placed in front of the optical sensor. A programmable filter having a variable passband for light transmission is placed in front of the fixed filter. A controllable voltage source controls a voltage at the programmable filter that shifts the passband of the programmable filter from a first state in which the passband of the programmable filter is substantially the same as the passband of the fixed filter and a second state in which the passband of the programmable filter is different than the passband of the fixed filter.

Abstract: A laser wavelength detector includes first and second sensors having a common field of view. A filter having two or more monochromatic attenuation coefficients optically couples the second sensor to the field of view. The filter attenuates incident monochromatic laser illumination detected by the second sensor more heavily than incident monochromatic laser illumination detected by the first sensor such that wavelength of incident laser illumination can be identified according to a ratio of first and second sensor intensities.

Abstract: A small, ultra-light-weight star tracker for space applications uses an out-of-field rejection filter to reduce the physical size and mass of the star tracker by effectively eliminating the need for a sun shade. The out-of-field rejection filter combines a converter for converting randomly polarized light to p-polarized light with an angular selectivity filter that can reject out-of-field p-polarized light. The underside of the angular selectivity filter can be used to reflect a calibrated light source into the optical path.

Abstract: A digital focal plane array includes an all-digital readout integrated circuit in combination with a detector array. The readout circuit includes unit cell electronics, orthogonal transfer structures, and data handling structures. The unit cell electronics include an analog to digital converter. Orthogonal transfer structures enable the orthogonal transfer of data among the unit cells. Data handling structures may be configured to operate the digital focal plane array as a data encryptor/decipherer. Data encrypted and deciphered by the digital focal plane array need not be image data.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a first lens layer; and a second lens layer, wherein the second lens layer is formed at least at a periphery of each first microlens formed based on the first lens layer, and the second lens layer present at a central portion of each of the first microlenses is thinner than the second lens layer present at the periphery of the first microlens or no second lens layer is present at the central portion of each of the first microlenses.

Abstract: Systems are provided for observing a rotation of a wheel of a vehicle. In one embodiment, a system includes: a wheel insert positioned within a center bore of the wheel. The wheel insert is movable between a first position and a second, expanded position and in the second, expanded position the wheel insert is coupled to the wheel for rotation with the wheel. The rotation of the wheel insert is to be observed by a sensor. The wheel insert includes a plurality of arms that are movable between a first state and a second, expanded state, and at least one of the plurality of arms is moved into the second, expanded state when the wheel insert is in the second, expanded position.

Abstract: The present invention mainly discloses an optoelectronic receiver circuit with dark current correction function, comprising: a transimpedance amplifier (TIA), a first variable resistor, a second variable resistor, a photodiode, a leakage compensation photodiode, at least one first leakage correction photodiode, at least one first switch, at least one second leakage correction photodiode, and at least one second switch. In the present invention, the first switch and the second switch are used for enabling the first leakage correction photodiode and the second leakage correction photodiode when the dark current of the leakage compensation photodiode cannot fully cancel a leakage portion of a photodiode current of the photodiode, such that the leakage portion of the photodiode current can be completely eliminated by the dark current of the leakage compensation photodiode and the dark currents provided by the two leakage correction photodiodes.

Abstract: An optoelectronic module, intended to provide a conversion of an electrical signal from an electronic board into an optical signal propagated in free space or vice versa, includes the following stack: an electronic board, intended to act as an interface with an electronic application board; an electronic control component suitable for controlling an optoelectronic component, the electronic component being attached directly onto the electronic board and electrically connected to the electronic circuit; an optoelectronic component suitable for transmitting or receiving a light signal via its upper surface, the optoelectronic component being attached directly on the top of the electronic control component and electrically connected to the electronic component; an optical device suitable for transmitting an optical signal; an optical device support, the support being attached, preferably by gluing or brazing, directly onto the electronic board so as to ensure the mechanical alignment between the optical device an

Abstract: A directed energy weapon includes a number of laser units, each including a fiber laser generating an output beam with a power of at least 1 kW from a fiber, an objective lens arrangement for focusing the output beam into a focused beam directed towards a target, and a fine adjustment mechanism for adjusting a direction of the focused beam. A beam deflector arrangement is deployed to deflect a portion of the focused beam from each laser unit as a deflected beam in a direction in predefined relation to a direction of the focused beam. An angle sensing unit generates an output indicative of a current direction of said deflected beam for each of said laser units. A controller actuates the fine adjustment mechanisms based on the output from the angle sensing unit to maintain a desired relative alignment between directions of the focused beams.

Abstract: The invention relates to quantum dot and photodetector technology, and more particularly, to quantum dot infrared photodetectors (QDIPs) and focal plane array. The invention further relates to devices and methods for the enhancement of the photocurrent of quantum dot infrared photodetectors in focal plane arrays.

Abstract: A method for local stabilization of a radiation spot on a remote target object, where the radiation spot is formed by a high energy laser beam that is aimed at the target object by a high energy radiation emitter, the includes illuminating the target object is illuminated by an illumination beam that is aimed at the target object by an illumination device. The method also includes receiving, by an image acquisition device, radiation reflected by the target object that is illuminated by the illumination beam, where the radiation reflected by the target object to the image acquisition device passes through the same optical path as the high energy laser beam. An image processing is performed by analyzing and comparing an image of the illuminated target object or part of the illuminated target object acquired by the image acquisition device to at least one image of the illuminated target object or part of the illuminated target object produced at a prior point in time or to an image stored in an object database.

Abstract: An optical sensor including a substrate and a plurality of pixel units are provided. The pixel units are disposed on the substrate, and each of the pixel units includes a light source element, a light sensor element, a circuit unit, and an isolation element. Herein, the light source element emits light, the light sensor element senses an optical image. The circuit unit is configured to drive the light source element to emit light and to drive the light sensor element to sense the optical image. The isolation element isolates the light sensor element from the light source element. In addition, the light source element is disposed between the isolation element of the respective pixel unit and an isolation element of a neighboring pixel unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device that includes an array of imaging cells is provided. Each imaging cell of the array of imaging cells includes an imaging region and first and second charge storage regions. Further, each imaging cell includes first and second quantum dot-in-quantum well (QD-in-QW) structures. The first QD-in-QW structure absorbs an incident electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within a predetermined first wavelength band and generates a hole photocurrent. The second QD-in-QW structure absorbs an incident electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength within a predetermined second wavelength band and generates an electron photocurrent. Each imaging cell further includes p-type and n-type modulation doped QW structures that defines first and second buried QW channels. The first and second buried QW channels provide for lateral transfer of the hole and electron photocurrents for charge accumulation in the first and second charge storage regions, respectively.

Abstract: The single-mode optical fibers have a core region that includes an inner core region having a delta value ?1 and a radius r1 immediately surrounded by an outer core region of radius r2 and a delta value ?2<?1, wherein ?1-?2 is in the range from 0.3% to 2%. A cladding region of radius r3 immediately surrounds the core region. The inner and outer regions define an annular width ?r=r2?r1. At least one of r1, r2, ?r and r3 changes with a period p in the longitudinal direction between first and second values each having a corresponding level distance dF. The change occurs over a transition distance dT such that dT/dF<0.1. The Brillouin frequency shift ?f changes by an amount ?[?f] that is least 10 MHz over each period p, thereby allowing for Brillouin frequency-shift management in fiber-based sensor systems.

Abstract: Certain aspects of the technology disclosed herein include measuring and reporting the unit planar area incident radiant flux striking multiple planes at known, determined angles of tilt from the horizontal and pre-determined angles of azimuthal orientation corresponding to that of an associated solar power generating apparatus which employs a single axis or two axis photovoltaic module tracking design.

Abstract: An imaging device includes a plurality of pixels, each of which including a first pixel element including a first photoelectric conversion unit, and a second pixel element including a second photoelectric conversion unit lower in sensitivity than the first photoelectric conversion unit, a readout circuit configured to read out a first image signal based on signal charge generated in the first pixel element during a first accumulation period, and a second image signal based on signal charge generated in the second pixel element during a second accumulation period longer than the first accumulation period, the second image signal being synchronized with the first image signal, and a control unit configured to control the readout circuit so that a first readout period for reading out the first image signal is performed during the second accumulation period.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for a spatially resolved and wavelength-resolved detection of light radiation emitted from at least one OLED or LED. A multilayer system is arranged between an electrode, an OLED or an LED, and a substrate and is formed using layers formed alternately above one another from a material having higher and lower optical refractive indices n. In this respect, light radiation from the at least one OLED or LED and having a plurality of different wavelengths ?1, ?2, ?3, . . . ?n thus exits the multilayer system. Light radiation that exits at different wavelengths ?1, ?2, ?3, . . . ?n at different angles is incident onto at least one detector array after at least a simple refraction at an optical element or after reflection at a layer or at a layer system of a sensor such that light radiation at a wavelength ?1, ?2, ?3, . . . or ?n is incident onto a respective detector element of the detector array.

Abstract: A detection head movable relative to a scale detects diffracted light and outputs a detection result. The diffracted light is diffracted by an incremental pattern. A signal processing unit calculates a relative displacement between the scale and the detection head. The detection head includes: a light source emitting the light to the scale; and a detection unit including a light-receiving unit receiving the diffracted light through an optical element, in which the light-receiving elements outputting detection signals are periodically arranged with a predetermined period. The number of the plurality of light-receiving elements is an even number. The predetermined period is a value obtained by multiplying a fundamental period by an odd-number. The fundamental period is a period of interference fringes formed on the light-receiving unit by +1st and ?1st order diffracted lights. A width of the light-receiving element is not equal to an integral multiple of the fundamental period.

Abstract: A light converting optical system employing a planar light trapping optical structure. The light trapping optical structure includes a monochromatic light source, a light guiding layer, a lenticular lens array incorporating a plurality of linear cylindrical microlenses, a broad-area reflective surface, and a generally planar photoresponsive layer located between the lens array and the reflective surface. The photoresponsive layer is configured at a sufficiently low thickness to transmit at least a portion of incident light without absorption in a single pass. A portion of the unabsorbed light is trapped within the light trapping optical structure and redirected back to the photoresponsive layer.

Abstract: An optical receiver (100) for detection of light from one or more sources (108) comprises an opaque layer (102) disposed on a first surface. An aperture (104) is formed in the opaque layer. An optical detector (106) has a detection region disposed on a second surface. The first and second surfaces are spaced apart from one another such that light passing through the aperture (104) illuminates a corresponding illumination region (110) on the second surface, and is detected by the optical detector (106) In the event that the detection region overlaps the illumination region. Multiple apertures may be formed in the opaque layer, and/or multiple optical detectors may be disposed on the second surface. The optical receiver may thereby enable optical signals originating at different locations to be detected, and distinguished, over a wide field of view.