UN-COOLED INFRARED IMAGING SYSTEM

THE DOD REQUIRES LOW-COST, HIGH-PERFORMANCE IR SENSORS CAPABLE OF DETECTING REDUCED OBSERVABLE IR SIGNATURES FROM MILITARY TARGETS. THE CONTRACTOR 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 WITHOUUT ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY. THE IMAGING SUBSTRATE IS A CONTINUOUS THIN FILM THAT ACTS AS BOTH SENSORS AND DISPLAY. INITIAL MATERIAL STUDIES HAVE ACHIEVED AN MRT OF 0.1 DEG C OVER A 19 DEG C RANGE. THE CONTRACTOR WILL INVESTIGATE THE FEASIBILITY OF USING A PHOTODICHROIC POLYACETYLENE POLYMER ABSORBING 10 MICROMETER IR PHOTONS TO PROVIDE A LOW-COST UN-COOLED REAL-TIME IR IMAGING SYSTEM.