Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Other

Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc

Robert G Brown

Steven E Koenck

David W Jensen

James H Stanley

James E Melzer

Adly A Girgis

Wyatt L Hendrick

Matilda Gabriela Livadaru

Bobby D Foote

A passive thermal imaging system includes multiple detector arrays, imaging optics, and processing electronics. Each of the detector arrays include pixels and detect thermal electromagnetic radiation (EMR) within a band around a desired EMR wavelength. The imaging optics receive thermal EMR within the band from an object and image the received thermal EMR from a same region of the object onto pixels of each of the detector arrays. The processing electronics receive a detected signal from each of the pixels of the detector arrays, calculate a correlation value based on a multi-correlation of the received detected signals of corresponding pixels of different detector arrays, and compare the correlation value with a threshold correlation value to determine that a detection event has occurred in response to the correlation value exceeding the threshold correlation value, the threshold correlation value being equal to or between 0.8 and 0.85.

Passive clear air turbulence detection system and method

A passive thermal imaging system is described. The system includes at least one detector array configured to detect thermal electromagnetic radiation (EMR), imaging optics, and processing electronics. The imaging optics are configured to receive thermal EMR from an object, and to image the received thermal EMR onto pixels of each of the at least one detector array. The processing electronics are configured to receive a detected signal from each of the pixels of the at least one detector array, to calculate a correlation value based on a correlation between the received detected signals from the pixels, and to compare the correlation value with a threshold correlation value to determine whether a detection event has occurred.

An optical system is described. The optical system has an optical amplifier array. The optical amplifier array has an array of optical amplifiers. Each optical amplifier has an optical amplifier region including a semiconductor active region having a direct electronic band gap with a conduction band edge. The semiconductor active region is embedded within a photonic crystal having an electromagnetic band gap having photon energies overlapping the energy of the conduction band edge of the electronic band gap such that spontaneous emission of photons in the semiconductor active region is suppressed.

Systems and methods using optical amplifiers

An optical imaging system includes a coherent light generator, imaging optics and a detection system. The coherent light generator is configured to generate squeezed light. The imaging optics is arranged to direct the squeezed light from the coherent light generator onto a target object and to receive squeezed light reflected by the target object. The detection system includes a local oscillator configured to generate un-squeezed light at a same frequency and phase as the squeezed light, a combiner arranged to combine the received squeezed light from the imaging optics and the un-squeezed light from the local oscillator to provide combined light, and a detector arranged to receive and detect the combined light.

Reduction of noise using coherent light-source squeezing

A semiconductor antenna includes an antenna region. The antenna region includes semiconductor nano-antennas. The semiconductor nano-antennas are formed of a semiconductor material have a doping concentration such that the real part of the permittivity of the semiconductor material is negative over at least a portion of radio frequencies from 1 MHz to 300 GHz.

Semiconductor antenna

An optical notch filter includes a particle layer including nano-particles in a substrate material. The nano-particles are arranged in one or more arrays to provide a nano plasmonic absorption of radiation having a wavelength of 532 nm incident on the filter. The filter exhibits a radiation absorption profile with an absorption maxima of at least 99% at 532 nm for an angle of incidence of between +50&#xb0; and &#x2212;50&#xb0;, and has a full width half maxima transmission of less than 15 nm.

Green laser line notch absorber

A passive thermal imaging system, includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit, imaging optics and processing electronics. The first detection unit and second detection unit each include at least one first detector array. The imaging optics are configured to image a first wavelength range of received EMR onto the at least one first detector array, and to image a second wavelength range of the received EMR onto the at least one second detector array. The processing electronics are configured to receive a first detected signal from the at least one first detector array and to determine whether a first detection event has occurred based on the first detected signal, and to receive a second detected signal from the at least one second detector array and to determine whether a second detection event and a third detection event have occurred based on the second detected signal.

Combined air-turbulence, ice, volcanic-ash aerosols, passive LWIR optical systems for cruising-airplane safety

A nanoplasmonic optical reflective includes a particle layer including nano-particles in a substrate material. The nano-particles are arranged in one or more arrays to provide a nano plasmonic reflection of electromagnetic radiation at a selected wavelength. A color display includes a light source configured to emit light, and a nanoplasmonic filter section the nanoplasmonic optical filter. The color display further includes pixel addressing electronics configured to address pixels within the nanoplasmonic filter section, and display optics arranged to display a color image based on addressed pixels by the pixel addressing electronics and the nanoplasmonic reflection or transmission of the light in selected wavelength bands. The color display may be arranged in passive reflective, passive transmissive, active reflective, or active transmissive architectures.

Nanoplasmonic optical filter and display employing same

An optical amplifier includes a plurality of photon amplifying regions. Each photon amplifying region includes a bottom electrode, an insulating layer formed over the bottom electrode, and having a through hole to the bottom electrode, a semiconductor layer and a top electrode formed over the semiconductor layer, wherein the top and bottom electrodes electrically contact the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer is formed over the insulating layer and in the through hole, and has a semiconductor active region in the through hole. The semiconductor active region has a direct electronic band gap with a conduction band edge, and is embedded within a photonic crystal having an electromagnetic band gap having photon energies overlapping the energy of the conduction band edge of the electronic band gap such that spontaneous emission of photons in the semiconductor active region is suppressed.

System and method for optical amplification

A pulsed emitter of electromagnetic radiation having a frequency range of 0.1 to 10 THz is described. The pulsed emitter includes an electromagnetic radiation gain medium and a pulse inducing element. The electromagnetic radiation gain medium is for generating electromagnetic radiation having the frequency range of 0.1 to 10 THz. The pulse inducing element is configured to induce an electromagnetic radiation pulse in the gain medium.

Terahertz laser

An optical pre-amplifier is described. The optical pre-amplifier has an optical amplifier region that has a semiconductor active region having a direct electronic band gap with a conduction band edge. The semiconductor active region is embedded within a photonic crystal having an electromagnetic band gap having photon energies overlapping the energy of the conduction band edge of the electronic band gap such that spontaneous emission of photons in the semiconductor active region is suppressed.

Low noise optical pre-amplifier for ultra-low-light detectors and FPAs

An integrated circuit (IC) sensor is described. The IC sensor includes a pixel array and IC components. The pixel array has a plurality of pixels, wherein each pixel includes an EMR absorption region including a detector material having a plurality of nanoparticles embedded in a matrix material and exhibiting a nano-plasmonic property. The IC components are arranged to provide amplification of a voltage signal from the EMR absorption region, and to select the voltage signal from the EMR absorption region.

Image sensor integrated circuit

A detector system is described. The detector system includes imaging optics having a focal plane, and an electromagnetic radiation (EMR) detector. The EMR detector is arranged to receive EMR from the imaging optics, and has a detector axis perpendicular to the focal plane. The EMR detector has a plurality of detector regions arranged progressively along the detector axis. The detector regions are arranged to respectively detect EMR imaged from progressively different object distances from the imaging optics.

Passive range-discrimination in thermal and other imaging systems

An optically bistable element is described. The optically bistable element has an arrangement of nano-particles configured to propagate localized plasmon-polaritons (LLPs). The optically bistable element may act as switch. A computing structure is also described, where the computing structure comprises one or more of the optically bistable elements acting as switches.

Optical bistable-switching in localized plasmon-polaritons chain nanoparticles&#x2014;for logic, memory and nano-computing applications

An optical system for detection of atmospheric ice particles is described. The optical system includes a laser light source configured to emit laser light, a photodetector, a first lens element and detection electronics. The first lens element is arranged to image light from the laser light source onto a measurement volume, and to direct scattered light received from the measurement volume to the photodetector. The detection electronics is connected to the photodetector, and is configured to receive a light detection signal from the photodetector and to indicate whether or not the atmospheric ice particles exist in the measurement volume based on the light detection signal.

Growing community of inventors

Tustin, CA, United States of America

Robert G Brown