Abstract: A laser energy detector may include at least one photodetector device formed on a semiconductor substrate. The photodetector device may have an active area effective to detect laser energy at a laser wavelength. The active area of the laser energy detector may be substantially transparent for a first wavelength band within an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: Embodiments of a laser imaging system with uniform line illumination and method for generating images are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the laser imaging system includes a polarizer beam splitter to angularly separate an input laser beam into a pair of overlapping cross-polarized beams having a first angular separation therebetween, and a diffraction optic beamlet generator to generate a plurality of beamlets of alternating polarization states with a second angular separation therebetween. The laser imaging system may also include a focal-plane array (FPA) having a field-of-view (FOV) to be illuminated by the plurality of beamlets.

Abstract: A laser energy detector may include at least one photodetector device formed on a semiconductor substrate. The photodetector device may have an active area effective to detect laser energy at a laser wavelength. The active area of the laser energy detector may be substantially transparent for a first wavelength band within an infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: Embodiments of a laser imaging system with uniform line illumination and method for generating images are generally described herein. In some embodiments, the laser imaging system includes a polarizer beam splitter to angularly separate an input laser beam into a pair of overlapping cross-polarized beams having a first angular separation therebetween, and a diffraction optic beamlet generator to generate a plurality of beamlets of alternating polarization states with a second angular separation therebetween. The laser imaging system may also include a focal-plane array (FPA) having a field-of-view (FOV) to be illuminated by the plurality of beamlets.

Abstract: A sensor for laser spot trackers. The novel sensor includes a detector array comprised of a predetermined number of subsets, each subset including a plurality of detector elements, and a readout circuit for providing a first output and a second output, the first output including subset signals that represent the total energy received in each subset and the second output including signals representing energy received by each individual detector element. In an illustrative embodiment, the array is divided into four subsets and the first output includes four subset signals that are compatible with four-quadrant guidance systems. A subset signal is generated by thresholding signals received from each individual detector element to remove noise, and then summing the thresholded signals from each detector element in the subset.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an unfocused optical sensor including a dual mode optical and radio frequency (RF) sensor system for use with a guidance system of a munition. The inventive system comprises an optical sensor comprising a plurality of optical detector units. The optical detector units each produce an optical detector output signal upon illumination with optical energy. In a dual mode embodiment, the sensor may further comprise an optional rf sensor which produces an rf sensor output signal. In the case of the dual mode sensor, the optical detector units are arranged in an annulus mounted coaxially with the transreflector and twist reflector about the longitudinal axis of the munition. The sensor system further comprises a signal processor operably associated with the optional rf sensor and the optical sensor to receive the rf sensor and optical detector output signals and provide a guidance signal to the guidance system.

Abstract: A common aperture, dual mode semi-active laser (SAL) and millimeter wave (MMW) sensor having transreflector configured to allow transmission of SAL energy therethrough, a separator and a fresnel lens configured to pass MMW energy therethrough and to focus SAL energy passing therethrough, the separator being configured to separate SAL energy from MMW energy, and a twist reflector positioned in alignment with the transreflector, configured to rotate the polarization of the MMW energy such that, for received MMW energy, the twist reflector reflects and rotates the received MMW energy toward the transreflector, which reflects it onto a feed and comparator, and for transmitted MMW energy, the transreflector reflects toward the twist reflector, whereupon polarization of the transmitted MMW energy is rotated and reflected therefrom to then pass through the transreflector.

Abstract: A laser radar (LADAR) including an acoustic-optical (AO) laser scanner for deflecting a pulsed laser beam through a plurality of angles, means for diffracting the deflected laser beam from the acoustic-optical laser scanner into a plurality of laser beams and a linear detector array including a plurality of detector elements respectively positioned to receive reflected energy from the respective plurality of laser beams such that a line scan is produced composed of a plurality of pixels.

Abstract: A combination of a wobble-scan infrared (IR) seeker with an unscanned pul laser (L) seeker. Target IR&L energy is passed through a focusing lens system to a wedge filter which is mounted on a rotating gyro-stabilized platform. The filter separates the IR&L signals by reflecting the L signal from its top surface and the IR signal from its bottom, slanted surface. The L signal is focused on a quad cell detector and detected. The IR signal passes through this detector and is sent through a reticle which pulse-codes it. The pulse-coded IR energy is then focused by another lens on an IR detector.