Fiber Optic Coupled Infrared Focal Plane Array (FOCIRFPA)

AMI utilizes a technique known as the "ribbon wind" approach to manufacture infrared fiber image bundles. The ribbon wind approach provides a unique opportunity to manufacture relatively low cost, large format, medium resolution infrared fiberoptic image bundles for industrial, commercial and military applications. Indeed, this approach has been applied successfully by numerous fiberoptic manufacturing companies to fabricate high performance "visible-energy" devices for the U.S. Air Force (heads up displays) and the U.S. Army (ruggedized, remote tank sights). The NAVY is in the process of developing a passive Missile Warning Receiver (MWR) system for tactical aircraft, utilizing rockwell's mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) 25x256 element detector array (IRFPA). The imaging bundle/array will sense the plume radiation of an incoming missile and forward this information for calculation of trajectory and speed, providing an effective countermeasure. this Phase I proposal provides a means for AMI to improve the transmission efficiency of its IR glass fiber, the image resolution of its ribbon bundles and to provide proof of concept prototypes to the government for later work involving larger format and longer length bundles.