UN-COOLED LWIR IMAGING SYSTEM

THE DOD REQUIRES SENSORS CAPABLE OF OPERATING AT 20 MICROMETERS TO DETECT LOW TEMPERATURE OBJECTS, E.G. MISSILES. THE CONTRACTOR REPRESENTS IT HAS UNIQUE PATENTED TECHNOLOGY FOR AN UN-COOLED IR SENSOR & IMAGING SYSTEM WITH NEAR MERCURY CADMIUM TELLURIDE (MCT) PERFORMANCE IN THE 10 MICRON REGION AT FAR LESS COST THAN MCT. THE TECHNOLOGY IS PHOTONIC, NOT THERMAL AND RELIES ON THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF A PHOTODICHROIC MATERIAL AFFORDING SUB-MICROSECOND RANGE RESPONSE TIMES. THE CONTRACTOR BELIEVES THIS IS THE ONLY TECHNOLOGY WHICH DIRECTLY CONVERTS AN IR SIGNAL INTO A VISIBLE ONE WITHOUT ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY. THE IMAGING SUBSTRATE IS A CONTINUOUS THIN FILM THAT ACTS AS BOTH SENSOR & DISPLAY. INITIAL MATERIAL STUDIES HAVE ACHIEVED AN MRT OF 0.1 DEG C OVER 19 DEG C RANGE. THE CONTRACTOR WILL INVESTIGATE THE FEASISBILITY OF A PHOTODICHROIC THIN FILM POLYMER ABSORBING 20 MICROMETER IR PHOTONS. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOW-COST, UN-COOLED LWIR IMAGING SYSTEM.