Raytheon Company

Thomas D Arndt

David James Knapp

Scott W Sparrold

James P Mills

Richard A Paiva

Kenneth Scott Ellis

Anees Ahmad

A steerable optical arrangement. The inventive arrangement includes a first prism mounted for rotation about an optical axis and a second prism mounted for rotation about the optical axis. In accordance with the inventive teachings, the first prism and/or the second prism have at least one surface contoured to correct for optical aberration. In the illustrative embodiment, the first and second prisms are Risley prisms. In addition, the illustrative implementation includes a first motor arrangement for rotating the first prism about the optical axis and a second motor arrangement for rotating the second prism about the optical axis. A controller is provided for activating the first and second motors to steer the beam at an angle &phgr; and nod the beam at an angle &thgr;. At least two surfaces at least one prism is contoured to correct for astigmatism, coma, trefoil and other non-rotationally symmetric aberration. The contour is effected by laser etching, micro-machining or optical thin-film coating of the prisms in the manner disclosed herein.

Beam steering optical arrangement using Risley prisms with surface contours for aberration correction

A missile seeker. The inventive missile seeker includes a dome within which a novel optical arrangement is retained. The optical arrangement includes a first prism mounted for rotation about an optical axis and a second prism mounted for rotation about the optical axis. In the illustrative embodiment, the first and second prisms are Risley prisms. In addition, the illustrative implementation includes a first motor arrangement for rotating the first prism about the optical axis and a second motor arrangement for rotating the second prism about the optical axis. A controller is provided for activating the first and second motors to steer the beam at an angle &phgr; and nod the beam at an angle &thgr;. In a specific implementation, the first prism and/or the second prism have at least two surfaces contoured to correct for optical aberration. A teaching is provided to contour the surfaces to correct for astigmatism, coma, trefoil and other non-rotationally symettric abberation. The contour may be effected by laser etching, micro-machining optical thin-film coating or other such technique.

Missile seeker having a beam steering optical arrangement using risley prisms

A missile includes a fuselage with a roll axis and a nod axis perpendicular to the roll axis, and a conformal window mounted to a forward-facing end of the fuselage. There is a sensor system with a field of regard through the window and a line of sight, and a sensor system pointing mechanism affixed to the airframe and upon which the sensor system is supported. The sensor system pointing mechanism includes a gimbal structure having a first degree of rotational freedom about the roll axis and a second degree of rotational freedom about the nod axis, and a linear translational mechanism connected to the sensor system. The linear translational mechanism is operable to translate the sensor system away from the window with increasing angular deviation of the line of sight of the sensor system from the roll axis. Preferably, the translational mechanism is a slider-crank mechanism.

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Amado, AZ, United States of America

Thomas D Arndt