Abstract: This invention relates to an acousto-optic time-integrating correlator for rocessing broadband Doppler-shifted signals. The present invention uses a conical lens telescope to compensate, in one dimension, for the differences in the absolute values of Doppler shift occurring in broadband signals. A laser light beam is expanded to a sheet beam using a conventional beam expander. The sheet beam is split and redirected using a modified Koster's prism. The two sheet beams are them directed toward a SAW device. The SAW device contains two tilted transducers. The inputs to the SAW device are counterpropagating A Doppler-shifted sheet beam and an undiffracted sheet beam are processed by respective conical lens telescopes. The outputs of the conical lens telescopes are combined with associated unprocessed sheet beams and combined by respective modified Koster's prisms and imaged onto respective two-dimensional photodetectors. The output of one photodetector is subtracted from the other to reduce offsets.

Abstract: An acousto-optic diffraction and signal mixing device. A laser light beam is expanded and shaped into a sheet beam which is directed across the surface of an acousto-optic medium. Four acoustic transducers are disposed on the acousto-optic medium, two at each end of the medium. Each acoustic transducer is supplied with a signal to be propagated on the surface of the acousto-optic medium. The first two signals diffract the sheet beam to produce a first product diffracted beam of light containing the product of the first two signals. The second two signals diffract the sheet beam to produce a second product diffracted beam of light containing the product of the second two signals.

Abstract: A device for processing signals to obtain a multi-product, time integrated, correlated output signal. A laser light beam is expanded and shaped into a sheet beam which is directed across the surface of an acousto-optic medium. Four acoustic transducers are disposed on the acousto-optic medium, two at each end of the medium. Each acoustic transducer is supplied with a signal to be propagated on the surface of the acousto-optic medium. The first two signals diffract the sheet beam to produce a first, product diffracted beam of light containing the product of the first two signals. The second two signals diffract the sheet beam to produce a second product diffracted beam of light containing the product of the second two signals. The two product diffracted beams are rotated so that they are orthogonal to each other, and then combined. A time integrating photodetecting means is disposed in the path of the combined beam for generating a multi-product, time integrated, correlated output signal.

Abstract: An acousto-optic architecture is provided for simultaneously obtaining time integration correlation and power spectrum analysis. A laser beam is expanded and split into first and second beams. The first beam is diffracted by a first acousto-optic Bragg cell, and the second beam is diffracted by a second acousto-optic Bragg cell. The diffracted first beam is split into third and fourth beams, and the diffracted second beam is split into fifth and sixth beams. A first Fourier transform lens system is placed in the path of the third beam, and a first photodiode detector array is placed at the back focal plane of the lens system. A second Fourier transform lens system is placed in the path of the sixth beam, and a second photodiode detector array is placed at the back focal place of the lens system. The fourth and fifth beams are combined and the combined beam is split into seventh and eighth beams.

Abstract: A method and device for processing spread-spectrum and other wideband comications and radar signals to obtain three and four product correlated signals. A laser beam is split and shaped into first and second sheet beams. The first beam is directed to a first acousto-optic medium where it is doubly diffracted by first and second signals. The second beam is directed to a second acousto-optic medium which is spatially rotated 90.degree. relative to the first acousto-optic medium where the second sheet beam is either singly diffracted by a third signal or doubly diffracted by a third signal and a fourth signal. The diffracted sheet beams are shaped into square beams, combined and directed to a photodiode area array.

Abstract: An acousto-optic time integrating two-dimensional frequency scanning correlator for cross-correlating signals which are separated in frequency. Two coherent light beams which are derived from the same laser are fed across respective Bragg cells, one cell having the signal A(t) cos .omega..sub.A t propagating thereacross and the other cell having the signal B(t) cos .omega..sub.B t propagating thereacross. The respective output beams are comprised in the x direction and expanded in the y direction and are made incident on an acousto-optical correlator device having chirp signals counter-propagating thereacross. The optical output is fed to a time-integrating photodiode array which provides an output signal corresponding to the cross-correlation of A(t) and B(t). In a further embodiment, the two Bragg cells are replaced by a single Bragg cell and beams having different polarizations are fed thereacross.

Abstract: A highly efficient time integrating acousto-optic correlator which determs the time difference of arrival of the signals being correlated as well as the center frequency and bandwidth of the signals. A surface acoustic wave delay line is provided with two counter-propagating surface acoustic waves with wavefronts tilted with respect to each other. Two laser beams are directed across the propagating waves with an angle of 4.theta..sub..beta. between them where .theta..sub..beta. is the Bragg angle, so that one beam interacts primarily with one propagating wave while the other beam interacts primarily with the other wave. The modulated optical beams are directed to a time-integrating photodetector means which provides a signal output corresponding to the correlation function.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing the correlation of a real-time signal, and a red signal or signals, and two methods of storing signals as index of refraction variation patterns in piezoelectric crystals. A modulated R.F. signal is stored in a piezoelectric crystal by converting the signal to an acoustic signal which is then propagated across the length of the crystal. A portion of the surface of the crystal is irradiated by a high-frequency, short-duration laser pulse, and the acoustic signal is stored as a variable index of refraction pattern at the irradiated areas. When a real-time signal is propagated across the stored signal, and the surface of the crystal is irradiated with a laser beam, the correlation of the real-time signal and the stored signal is obtained upon demodulation of the laser beam.

Abstract: An acousto-optic apparatus utilizing multiplexing techniques, for obtaining he correlation of N pairs of signals. First and second sets of signals are combined in a piezoelectric crystal, and each signal in the first set is correlated only with its pair signal in the second set, that is, with the signal in the second set which has the same R.F. frequency. Each signal is a composite signal comprised of an envelope modulating an R.F. signal, and when a laser beam is directed across the interaction area of the crystal and directed onto a square law detector, the correlation of the envelopes of the N pairs of signals is obtained.

Abstract: An analog terminal guidance system and device. One dimensional strips of a arget scene are stored in a line in a longitudinally extending acousto-optic device as index of refraction variation pattern signals. Real time signals corresponding to the scene actually being viewed by the vehicle are propagated across the stored signals, and the results of an acousto-optic correlation are utilized to determine X and Y error. Scale error is compensated for by changing the data rate of the real time signals, and 21/2 and 3D schemes improve the accuracy of the correlation.

Abstract: An acousto-optic correlator device comprised of two parallel piezoelectric rystals having different acoustic velocities. Acoustic transducers are located at one end of the respective crystals, and high frequency acoustic waves, the pulse envelopes of which correspond to the signals to be correlated are simultaneously launched from the transducers on the respective crystals. One of the acoustic waves "slides" past the other, and a laser beam, which is directed approximately perpendicular to the direction of acoustic propagation is modulated by the acoustic waves. The laser beam is demodulated and the desired correlation is obtained.