Thermally Efficient Emitter Technology for Advanced Scene/Simulation Capability in Hardware in the Loop Testing

We introduce a concept and a design for a high-speed, high-temperature infrared scene projector for midwave (MWIR) and longwave infrared (LWIR) application. Results from study of carbon nanotube (CNT) material characteristics, along with field emission and electro-thermal modeling show that higheffective MWIR temperatures can be sustained and projected by a CNT pixel with little or no spillover to adjacent pixels. The proposed projector utilizes groups of selectively grown nanotube arrays to construct the projector pixel. Pure carbon nanotubes can sustain extreme temperaturesand emit as lambertian blackbodies. The nanotube thermal time constants are on the order of nanoseconds to picoseconds and since the nanotube array consists of individual isolated nanotubes or minimally connected (touching) nanotubes, the entire nanoforest will exhibit the same ultra-fast response. The projected image will be continuous in time as with the microemitter arrays but will be able to project significantly higher temperature, high dynamic range scenes at frame rates. The projectors high frame rates, small pixel sizes, and blackbody emittance over the entire infrared region fully supports real-time testing of tactical sensorsand may provide considerable size and weight advantages.Approved for Public Release | 17-MDA-9219 (31 May 17)