Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for selectively attenuating narrowband high intensity bright sources from an incoming light source in an imaging system creating a focal plane array. The method comprises receiving and conditioning incoming light in a at least one group of optics; receiving the into a line attenuation tunable optical filter (LATOF) which creates a rejection band; tilting the LATOF at least one increment to selectively attenuate the bright sources from the receive conditioned light; receiving the conditioned light and selectively attenuated light into an opto-electronic detector; and converting the light into an output for an electronic image, wherein saturation of the focal plane array decreases and contrast is restored in the electronic image.

Abstract: Provided is an infrared radiation detector comprising an active layer having a front side and a back side. An anti-reflective coating is disposed on the front side and is configured to minimize reflection of incident light within a wavelength band of interest upon the front side. A highly-reflective coating is disposed on the backside and is configured to increase reflection within the wavelength band of interest upon the back side. Each one of the anti-reflective coating and highly-reflective coatings are comprised of a quarterwave stack of a plurality of layers each having an optical thickness equal to one-fourth of the wavelength band of interest. The wavelength band of interest is preferably in the range of from about 3.0 to about 5.0 microns.