High-Resolution, High-Sensitivity, Long-Range Photon-Sensing Integrated Circuit (PSIC) Video Seeker

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) technology, a smart electro-optical video seeker will likely become the prevalent sensing modality integrated into a gun-launched hypervelocity projectile and many other manned and unmanned systems and platforms. We propose a high-resolution, high-sensitivity, long-range Photon-Sensing Integrated Circuit (PSIC) video seeker operating at high frame rate video and at high operating temperature (HOT) uncooled for passive sensing. We propose also to optimize and test its survivability during gun launch acceleration of 50,000 g. During Phase I, we will design, fabricate, characterize and prototype our next-generation PSIC limited-size array in the visible spectrum, will down select the visible or short-wave infrared (SWIR) wavelength band of most interest for a compact electro-optical seeker, and will also team and plan with our program partners for PSIC survivability during projectile gun launch and hypervelocity travel. During Phase II, we will optimize, fabricate, characterize, prototype and deliver two units of the PSIC high-resolution, high-sensitivity, long-range video seekers in the preferred wavelength band optimized for detection, discrimination and dynamic tracking performance against surface targets for a variety of weather and diurnal cycle conditions, and will team with our program partners to test and verify high-g survivability.