Advanced Optics for Imaging Infrared Seekers

With the advent of advanced infrared staring focal plane arrays, and especially uncooled FPAs, there is an increasing need for high speed (low f/number) imaging optics which also provide the required high resolution while being compact, light in weight, and low in cost. Conventional IR seeker optics are often heavy, bulky, costly and have other performance, packaging, and related problems. This SBIR will develop a new class of high performance low f/number IR imaging seeker optics for the MWIR and/or LWIR for these new FPAs. The optics will be compact, high performance, and low in cost. The design concepts will assure a 100% cold stop efficiency for maximum sensitivity and freedom from image anomalies. Several unique and innovative approaches will be optimized and thoroughly evaluated including refractive and reflective optics using aspheric as well as diffractive surfaces. A key concept to be used is that of the reflective warm stop which will aid significantly in meeting these demanding system requirements. Fabrication and producibility issues as well as athermalization will be given a high priority. While not addressed in the solicitation, athermalization can often be the single most significant problem in IR seeker optics development. If considered early in the system engineering and development, it can be kept under control, and athermalization will be given a suitably high priority in this design effort.