Non-Mechanically Steered 3D Imaging LADAR

ABSTRACT: In this SBIR Phase 2 proposal, Fibertek proposes to develop a laboratory breadboard prototype of a 1.5-um 3D-Imaging Ladar system, based on the use of high-speed liquid-crystal (i.e. non-mechanical) beam steering technology. The proposed 3D ladar system is capable of 10s of Hz frame-rate for a mosaic-tiled ladar system, providing near-diffraction limited performance over a FOV of up to 5 x 5 degrees, and is compatible with a rodamap for integration in typical EO/IR sensor pod. Detailed study and simulation models in Phase 1 were developed for laser beam-steering and imaging (receive-path) taking into account realistic optical characteristics of liquid-crystal optical components. A representative 1.5-um liquid crystal component was also verified. In addition a detialed 3D Imaging Ladar model is used to simulate the time-domain and imaging (spatial) performance of such system. This feasibility study and detialed modeling and simulation provides quantitative metrics for performance evaluation of the prototype 3D Imaging Ladar hardware proposed for the SBIR Phase 2 program. BENEFIT: (1) Enables new CONOPS for 3D Ladar based ISR (2) Enables lightweight and low-power EO/IR sensor pod (3) Potential to eliminate gimbals used in EO sensor pod (4) Optical beam-steering for lasercom application (5) Enables lightweight beam-directors for high-energy-laser application (6) Amenable to space platform/environment due to inherent radiation hardness and low SWaP