Abstract: A LIDAR device and method for determining the range of a target surface using a threshold detector circuit that differentiates the laser return signal to define a differentiated signal. The signal level crossing point or threshold is representative of the peak amplitude of the return signal. The device and method compare the signal level crossing point to a predetermined threshold level to determine the range of the target surface in a LIDAR system.

Abstract: A device and method for LADAR ranging using relatively long laser pulse widths and slower system clock speeds is provided. The center points of the sent and received laser signal such as Gaussian laser pulses are identified by time sampling the sent and received laser signal waveforms at predetermined time positions. The signal energy within each time sample of the respective sent and received laser signals defines a clock “bin”. The received laser signal generates an output from a photodetector cell on a focal plane array that is converted into voltage. The signal energy is integrated using a capacitor array for each of the clock bins and is representative of the signal energy in each time sample. The output of the capacitor array is collected in buffer and digitized. Signal processing means extracts the center of the transmitted and received pulses and the time-of-flight calculated as the time between the transmitted and returned centers of the laser signal pulses.

Abstract: A phase-sensing and scanning time-of-flight LADAR method and device are disclosed that take advantage of an atmospheric absorption bands within the solar IR spectrum. In the phase-sensing LADAR embodiment, an object is illuminated with electromagnetic energy such as a laser beam having a wavelength substantially equal to a predetermined atmospheric absorption band such as 1.39 microns. The transmitted laser beam is modulated at a predetermined frequency and has a first phase. The phase of the reflected and returned laser beam is altered proportional to the distance of the object and has a second phase. The first phase of the transmitted signal and the second phase of the received signal are compared and used to determine the distance of the object from the device. The system may comprise a modified laser that is tuned to operate in an atmospheric absorption band.

Abstract: A multilayer electronic imaging module and sensor system incorporating a micro-lens layer for imaging and collimating a received image from a field of regard, a photocathode layer for detecting photons from the micro-lens layer and generating an electron output, a micro-channel plate layer for receiving the output electrons emitted from the photocathode in response to the photon input and amplifying same and stacked readout circuitry for processing the electron output of the micro-channel plate. The sensor system of the invention may he provided in the form of a Cassegrain telescope assembly and includes electromagnetic imaging and scanning means and beam-splitting means for directed predetermined ranges of the received image to one or more photo-detector elements which may be in the form of the micro-channel imaging module of the invention.

Abstract: A solid state spectrometer unit cell or plurality of cells for sensing different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation at different depths within the substrate of the device. Variable bias voltages on one or more p-n junctions in the device are used so that the depth of the depletion regions are selectively varied. By varying the depletion region thickness of the p-n junctions in the device, the wavelengths absorbed by the semiconductor device and resultant electron-hole pairs collected by the p-n junctions are varied. In one embodiment, the outputs of each of two unit cell p-n junctions are sensed and the difference calculated and output to suitable circuitry for display as representative of a particular range or frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A method for using a depletion region in a solid state spectrometer unit cell or plurality of cells for sensing different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation at different depths within the substrate of the device. Variable bias voltages on one or more p-n junctions in the device are used so that the depth of the depletion regions are selectively varied. By varying the depletion region thickness of the p-n junctions in the device, the wavelengths absorbed by the semiconductor device and resultant electron-hole pairs collected by the p-n junctions are varied. In one embodiment, the outputs of each of two unit cell p-n junctions are sensed and the difference calculated and output to suitable circuitry for display as representative of a particular range or frequency of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Abstract: A sensor system is provided having a precision tracking sensor element and a micro-lamellar spectrometer for determining the wavelength of an electromagnetic source such as a laser designator source. Acquisition sensor elements may be provided and mounted on a rotating base element that rotates about a first axis. The precision tracking sensor elements may be mounted on a hinged or pivoting element or gimbal on the housing and provided with drive means to permit a user to selectively manually or automatically direct it toward a scene target of interest detected by the acquisition sensor elements. At least one of the imaging elements in the precision tracking sensor or acquisition sensors is stacked micro-channel plate focal plane array element.

Abstract: A sensor system is provided comprising a precision tracking sensor element and one or more acquisition sensor elements. The acquisition sensor elements may be mounted on a rotating base element that rotates about a first axis. The precision tracking sensor elements may be mounted on a hinged or pivoting element or gimbal on the housing and provided with drive means to permit a user to selectively manually or automatically direct it toward a scene target of interest detected by the acquisition sensor elements. At least one of the imaging elements in the precision tracking sensor or acquisition sensors is stacked micro-channel plate focal plane array element.

Abstract: A multilayer electronic imaging module and sensor system incorporating a micro-lens layer for imaging and collimating a received image from a field of regard, a photocathode layer for detecting photons from the micro-lens layer and generating an electron output, a micro-channel plate layer for receiving the output electrons emitted from the photocathode in response to the photon input and amplifying same and stacked readout circuitry for processing the electron output of the micro-channel plate. The sensor system of the invention may be provided in the form of a Cassegrain telescope assembly and includes electromagnetic imaging and scanning means and beam-splitting means for directed predetermined ranges of the received image to one or more photo-detector elements which may be in the form of the micro-channel imaging module of the invention.

Abstract: A 3-D LADAR imaging system incorporating stacked microelectronic layers is provided. A reference insert circuit inserts data into the FIFO registers at a preselected location to provide a reference point at which all FIFO shift register data may be aligned to accommodate for timing differences between layers and channels. The bin data representing the photon reflections from the various target surfaces are read out of the FIFO and processed using appropriate circuitry such as a field programmable gate array to create a synchronized 3-D point cloud for creating a 3-D target image.

Abstract: A detector module which may comprise a black silicon detector for detecting incident radiation and generating a visible output to a display output pixel element such as one or more OLED elements. One or more vertically interconnected unit cells, which may be in the form of a plurality of vertically stacked and bonded layers, is disclosed having a detector layer comprising one or more black silicon detector elements, an amplification layer and a display layer having a dedicated display output pixel element. The layers are vertically interconnected by means of electrically conductive area interconnects such as electrically conductive through-silicon vias.

Abstract: A readout circuit which may be in the form of a readout integrated circuit or ROIC is disclosed for use in an AM chirp LADAR system having a photodetector coupled to a passive electronic filter. The filter output is coupled to a capacitive-coupled transimpedance amplifier with an output coupled to an analog storage register. The analog storage register output is coupled to a sample-and-hold circuit which in turn is coupled to an analog to digital converter circuit. In the stacked configuration, each IC operates independently and outputs its signals on a unique output line. The stacked ICs operate under the same set of control vectors as the individual ICs comprising the stack.

Abstract: A LIDAR sensor element and system for wide field-of-view applications such as autonomous UAS landing site selection is disclosed. The sensor element and system have an imaging source such as a SWIR laser for imaging a field of regard or target with a beam having a predefined wavelength. The beam is scanned over the field of regard or target with a beam steering device such as Risley prism. The reflected beam is captured by the system by receiving optics which may comprise a Risley prism for receiving and imaging the reflected beam upon a photodetector array such as a focal plane array. The focal plane array may be bonded to and a part of a three-dimensional stack of integrated circuits, a plurality of which may comprise one or more read out integrated circuits.

Abstract: A phase-sensing and scanning time-of-flight LADAR method and device are disclosed that take advantage of an atmospheric absorption bands within the solar IR spectrum. In the phase-sensing LADAR embodiment, an object is illuminated with electromagnetic energy such as a laser beam having a wavelength substantially equal to a predetermined atmospheric absorption band such as 1.39 microns. The transmitted laser beam is modulated at a predetermined frequency and has a first phase. The phase of the reflected and returned laser beam is altered proportional to the distance of the object and has a second phase. The first phase of the transmitted signal and the second phase of the received signal are compared and used to determine the distance of the object from the device. The system may comprise a modified laser that is tuned to operate in an atmospheric absorption band.

Abstract: A readout circuit is disclosed for use in an AM chirp LADAR system. The circuit comprises a photodetector such as a metal-semiconductor-metal detector coupled to a passive electronic filter. The filter output coupled to a capacitive-coupled transimpedance amplifier with an output coupled to an analog storage register. The analog storage register output is coupled to a sample-and-hold circuit which in turn is coupled to a sample and hold circuit. The output of the sample and hold circuit is digitized by an analog-to-digital converter circuit for further processing. The circuit may be used as a cell for the readout of an individual pixel on a photodetector or a plurality of cells used in a stack of integrated circuit chips for the read out of a plurality of pixels in a photodetector array.

Abstract: A 3-D LADAR imaging system incorporating stacked microelectronic layers is provided. A light source such as a laser is imaged upon a target through beam shaping optics. Photons reflected from the target are collected and imaged upon a detector array through collection optics. The detector array signals are fed into a multilayer processing module wherein each layer includes detector signal processing circuitry. The detector array signals are amplified, compared to a user-defined threshold, digitized and fed into a high speed FIFO shift register range bin. Dependant on the value of the digit contained in the bins in the register, and the digit's bin location, the time of a photon reflection from a target surface can be determined. A T0 trigger signal defines the reflection time represented at each bin location by resetting appropriate circuitry to begin processing.

Abstract: A 3-D LADAR imaging system incorporating stacked microelectronic layers is provided. A light source such as a laser is imaged upon a target through beam shaping optics. Photons reflected from the target are collected and imaged upon a detector array though collection optics. The detector array signals are fed into a multilayer processing module wherein each layer includes detector signal processing circuitry. The detector array signals are amplified, compared to a user-defined threshold, digitized and fed into a high speed FIFO shift register range bin. Dependant on the value of the digit contained in the bins in the register, and the digit's bin location, the time of a photon reflection from a target surface can be determined. A T0 trigger signal defines the reflection time represented at each bin location by resetting appropriate circuitry to begin processing.

Abstract: A 3-D LADAR imaging system incorporating stacked microelectronic layers is provided. A light source is imaged upon a target through beam shaping optics. Photons reflected from the target are collected and imaged upon a detector array though collection optics. The detector array signals are fed into a multilayer processing module wherein each layer includes detector signal processing circuitry. The detector array signals are amplified, compared to a user-defined threshold, digitized and fed into a high speed FIFO range bin. Dependant on the value of the digit contained in the bins in the register, and the digit's bin location, the time of a photon reflection from a target surface can be determined. A To trigger signal defines the reflection time represented by each bin location by resetting appropriate circuitry to begin processing.

Abstract: A 3-D LADAR imaging system incorporating stacked microelectronic layers is provided. A light source such as a laser is imaged upon a target through beam shaping optics. Photons reflected from the target are collected and imaged upon a detector array though collection optics. The detector array signals are fed into a multilayer processing module wherein each layer includes detector signal processing circuitry. The detector array signals are amplified, compared to a user-defined threshold, digitized and fed into a high speed FIFO shift register range bin. Dependant on the value of the digit contained in the bins in the register, and the digit's bin location, the time of a photon reflection from a target surface can be determined. A T0 trigger signal defines the reflection time represented at each bin location by resetting appropriate circuitry to begin processing.

Abstract: A preprocessed semiconductor substrate such as a wafer is provided with a metal etch mask which defines singulation channels on the substrate surface. An isotropic etch process is used to define a singulation channel with a first depth extending into the semiconductor substrate material. A second anisotropic etch process is used to increase the depth of the singulation channel while providing substantially vertical singulation channel sidewalls. The singulation channel can be extended through the depth of the substrate or, in an alternative embodiment, a predetermined portion of the inactive surface of the substrate removed to expose the singulation channels. In this manner, semiconductor die can be precisely singulated from a wafer while maintaining vertical die sidewalls.