Wide Field of View Imaging System Based on Adaptive Lens With Controllable Aperture Location

To meet the need of the U.S. Air Force for a new imaging technology for missile warning and identification, Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new highly agile mid-wave infrared imaging system based on an Adaptive Lens withControllable Aperture Location (ALCAL). ALCAL is a unique device involving liquid crystal with a controllable aperture size, programmable focal distance and spherical aberration, and adjustable off-axis angle. The ALCAL device will provide surveillanceof a large area with nearly instantaneous switching to a spatially limited region of interest within the field of view and produce a sharp image inside the area of interest. ALCAL fully mimics foveal vision, the eye's movement, and the eye's accommodationof distance variation. It provides 100% fill factor, polarization independence and high operational speed.In Phase I, POC will develop the theory and architecture of the ALCAL system for a near or mid infrared agile detecton and discrimination need. We will demonstrate a proof-of-concept prototype and will determine its switching speed, resolution, andinstantaneous field of view to any location in a wide field of view. In Phase II, a full-scale prototype will be developed. The proposed ALCAL system can be adapted for the visible and near-infrared spectral ranges and applied in industry for manufacturing monitoring and quality control, in preventive and predictive maintenance for inspection of industrial machinery, energyloss in buildings, thermographic inspections, in medicine for endoscopic examinations, and in police and security for wide FOV surveillance.