OCULAR SHIELDS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST LASER RADIATION AND BALLISTIC FRAGMENTS

THE USE OF LASERS IN THE ARMED FORCES IS INCREASING RAPIDLY AND THEREFORE, SUITABLE FILTERS ARE NEEDED FOR PROTECTING THE EYES OF LABORATORY AND FIELD PERSONNEL FROM ACCIDENTAL OR DELIBERATE EXPOSURE TO HAZARDOUS LASER RADIATION. RECENT WORK AT GUMBS HAS SHOWN THAT IT IS FEASIBLE TO CONSTRUCT NOVEL, SWITCHABLE LASER SHIELDING SYSTEMS WITH BROAD BAND CAPABILITY AND RAPID SWITCHING RATES FROM THIN POLYMER FILMS. IN VIEW OF THIS CAPABILITY, THIS PROPOSAL OUTLINES A RESEARCH PROGRAM TO DEVELOP AN IMPACT RESISTANT, ABRASION RESISTANT PLASTIC FILTER THAT WILL OPTICALLY SWITCH RAPIDLY AND PASSIVELY, WITH BROAD BAND CAPABILITY AND A POTENTIAL OPTICAL DENSITY RATIO OF AT LEAST 100. IF PHASE I IS SUCCESSFUL, A MORE INTENSIVE STUDY OF THE KINETICS AND MECHANISM OF THE OPTICAL SWITCHING PROCESS WILL BE INITIATED WITH MORE DETAILED CHARACTERIZATIONS OF THE OPTICAL AND BALLISTIC PROPERTIES OF THE PLASTIC. SUBPICOSECOND OPTICS DETECTION EQUIPMENT WILL BE USED FOR MORE PRECISE MEASUREMENTS OF SWITCHING SPEED AND FLASH PHOTOLYSIS WILL BE USED FOR DETERMINING THE LIFETIME OF THE DEVICE.