Conformal Array Superposition Sensor

The U. S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has an interest in developing a very wide field of view (FOV) sensor that can be made conformal to aircraft and seeker surfaces. The Spectral Imaging Laboratory (SPILAB) proposes the development of two wide FOV, conformal sensors, one imaging in the visible wavelength band and the other imaging in the 8 - 12 micron, long wavelength infrared (LWIR) band. The optics of both sensors will resemble the eyes of arthropods, which have evolved tiny, multi-aperture structures consisting of large numbers of independent facets on a convex surface. An arthropod’s "compound eyes" are built as conformal structures around the outside of its head in order to displace a minimal volume for maximum utility. The proposed SPILAB optical systems mimic the same conformal architecture, though the specific implementation is derived from the superposition compound eye. The superposition architecture is desirable because it can yield a 10,000 fold increase in sensitivity over apposition optics. This high sensitivity, together with the large FOV and small, conformal shape make it worthy of investigation for a number of Air Force applications.