Selectable field-of-view infrared lens

Abstract

A selectable field-of-view infrared lens is disclosed for projecting an image from object space onto a flat image plane, the selectable field-of-view infrared lens being corrected over the spectral region of 3.3 to 4.2 microns and having a selectable wide field-of-view comprising: an objective lens system having a plurality of lens elements formed of material optically transparent over the spectral region of 3.3 to 4.2 microns; a selectable refractive Galilean afocal telescope having a plurality of lens elements formed of material optically transparent over the spectral region of 3.3 to 4.2 microns, the telescope being coupled to the objective lens in select field-of-view determining relation with the objective lens whereby, upon selection, the selectable refractive Galilean afocal telescope cooperates with the objective lens system to provide a wide field-of-view; a means for scanning, the means scanning having an optical element interposed between and coaxially aligned with the selectable refractive Galilean afocal telescope and the objective lens system, the means for scanning being adapted to oscillate the optical the optical element through a predetermined angle thereby, angularly displacing the collimated rays whereby, upon selection, the selectable refractive Galilean afocal telescope receives collimated light from object space and provides the collimated rays to the means for scanning optical element, the collimated rays passing through the oscillating optical element and being reciprocally displaced, the reciprocally displaced collimated rays passing to the objective lens system, the objective lens system focusing the reciprocally displaced collimated rays on the flat image plane; thereby, forming a reciprocally displaced image.