Astrium Gmbh

Daimler-Benz Ag

Eads Deutschland Gmbh

Temic Telefunken Microelectronic Gmbh

Willi Platz

Helmut Riedel

Peter Peuser

Michael Feil

Karl Hofmann

Gerald Sobotta

Siegfried Craubner

Helmut Zinner

Evelyne Gottzein

Fank Ansorge

Hermann Diehl

A laser amplifier arrangement includes an optical pump source and an axially arranged laser oscillator-amplifier configuration pumped by the pump radiation. The laser oscillator-amplifier configuration includes a laser oscillator excitable by a portion of the pump radiation to emit a laser beam, and a laser amplifier that amplifies the laser beam using the pump radiation. The laser oscillator and laser amplifier are arranged in a substantially coaxial or collinear manner relative to a longitudinal axis of the laser oscillator-amplifier configuration. The pump source includes a first beam source for producing a first pump radiation to pump the laser oscillator, a second beam source for producing a second pump radiation for the laser amplifier, and a pump radiation conducting device, by means of which both the first and the second pump radiation can be lead into the laser oscillator-amplifier configuration substantially in the direction of the longitudinal axis for longitudinal pumping.

Miniaturized laser amplifier arrangement having a pump source

A combined earth-star sensor system () for three-axis attitude determination of satellites in space comprises separate apertures with different directions of observation and common image pickup devices () for the earth sensor and the star sensor. A common optical arrangement () for earth observation and start observation, and a deflection mirror () for derivation of the laterally entering light from the earth, to the common optical arrangement () may be provided. In one focal plane there is a focal plane sensor with an array of image pickup devices () with the integration time being controllable. An evaluation unit determines the orbit and the attitude of the space vehicle from the attitude and movement of the stars and of the rim of the earth in the focal plane.

Combined earth/star sensor system and method for determining the orbit and position of spacecraft

The focal surface for an opto-electronic imaging system includes an arrangement of detectors for image recording and a detector carrier or a FPA carrier for holding the detectors. The detectors are each made of at least one solid state element that is bonded to a flexible carrier substrate. The focal surface, or the detectors, respectively, exhibits a curvature, such that a curved field of view can be recorded. In a method for manufacturing a focal surface for opto-electronic imaging systems, at least one solid state element is bonded to a flexible carrier substrate to form flexible detectors, whereby a detector carrier provides a curvature and the flexible detectors are adapted to the curvature of the detector carrier. To manufacture a detector according to the present invention, a solid state element is thinned and bonded to a flexible carrier substrate, such that it is formed in a flexible manner and can be adapted to a curvature of a field of view. An opto-electronic imaging system according to the present invention with front optics for capturing an image and a detector arrangement that is arranged in a focal surface of the front optics, in which the detector arrangement is arranged in the focal surface in a curved manner.

Focal surface and detector for opto-electronic imaging systems, manufacturing method and opto-electronic imaging system

An arrangement and method for processing a signal field of sensor signals which originate from the individual sensor elements, for example photodetectors, of a plurality of sensor elements which are regularly spaced in an area and which are each surrounded by six adjacent sensor elements while forming a hexagonal structure. A differential amplifier compares a quantity representing the potential difference and a reference quantity forms a switching quantity (I.sub.Mo) on the output side. A switching comparator, on the input side, receives the switching quantity and, if this switching quantity exceeds the preselectable switching threshold, on the output side emits a switching pulse which causes the 'off' switching condition. Four signal outputs 1, 2, 3, 4 as well as four signal inputs (I.sub.M1 I.sub.M2, I.sub.M3, I.sub.M4) are each connected with a signal input and a signal output of one of the four analog circuits assigned to the four next adjacent switchable resistors, one signal respectively being supplied to the four signal outputs which represents the switching quantity. A switching stage for forming the reference quantity takes into account the signals present at the four signal inputs.

Sensor element array and method for signal or image processing

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Munich, Germany

Willi Platz