This paper presents the ground and flight test results of an above ground level (AGL) sensing device using pulsed laser ranging. The sensor was developed to integrate with automated flight controls used in manned and unmanned aircraft for precision landings. Using highly accurate, real-time distance measurements AGL readings can be used to feed flight controls to minimizing landing loads and approach speeds. The sensor uses a pulsed laser and receiver to measure the time of flight between the laser fire and return signal from the ground. This line of sight range in conjunction with the air vehicle attitude readings provide a precise (6 inches resolution) above ground level measurement fully compensated for slant range.
This paper reports the test results for a three-axis true airspeed measurement instrument that is based on the enhanced mode lidar (EML) concept. This instrument is a continuing Goodrich development effort that builds on the single-axis homodyne concept. Our system heterodynes a reference signal with the single particle lidar return from naturally occurring atmospheric aerosols. The reference signal's frequency is shifted by an acousto-optic modulator, thereby, enabling the measurement of the positive and negative Doppler frequencies. A scan head using a wedge to direct the beam at a 15-degree angle is rotated about the original line of site to trace a cone shape. The redirected beam plus the heterodyning enables the measurement of three-axis true airspeed. The instrument was evaluated using wind tunnel measurements and the results are reported.
The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment (SAGE) III requires a detector that provides spectral coverage from 280 - 1050 nm. In order to achieve higher responsivity at the ultra-violet wavelengths a backside-thinned silicon CCD technology was chosen. For strength, the backside-thinned detector was bonded to a soda glass substrate. The device thinness allowed the long near infrared wavelengths to pass through the silicon, scatter off the soda glass, and cause cross talk into nearby pixels. Reflections from the soda glass caused etalon-like effects and gave the thinned CCD a highly temperature dependent response. These difficulties led the project manager to examine different options for a replacement detector. Photodiode/CCD technology based on the Moderate- Resolution Imaging Spectrometer-Tilt (MODIS-T) and Gas and Aerosol Monitoring Sensorcraft (GAMS) detectors systems was combined and used to design and fabricate a backup detector for the SAGE III program. The device design and characterization are presented. The design focused on elimination of the scattering due to the soda glass and the temperature dependent etalon effect, increasing charge storage capacity. The detector was designed to allow a retrofit with the existing SAGE III spectrometer. The primary disadvantage of the new detector is its loss of responsivity at the shorter wavelengths.
Jules Levine, Michael O'Hagan, James Palmer, Gary Halama, James McAdoo, Dustin Carr, Marc Currie, Thomas Hsiang, Jianliang Li, Louise Lorenzo, Carlo Williams
The insatiable desire for bandwidth has compelled many technological advances in communications system components over the last two decades. Fiber optics communications bandwidth has advanced at almost exponential rates with the developments of low-loss, singlemode fibers, EDFAs, and WDM technology which uses multiple lasers on a single fiber. The SilkRoad Corporation has taken a different approach to increasing available BW by using a single, but, very stable, laser and IR photodiode detectors of unparalleled BW.
KEYWORDS: Sensors, Avalanche photodetectors, Information operations, LIDAR, Receivers, Signal to noise ratio, Telescopes, Signal detection, Analog electronics, Optical design
NASA Langley has an active water vapor differential absorption lidar program taking measurements from both C-130 and ER-2 aircraft. A research effort has started to increase the signal-to-noise ratio in the DIAL receiver by 1) evaluating new very low noise avalanche photo didoes (APD), 2) designing an optics system that will focus the return light signal to the APD efficiently and 3) constructing a 10-MHz waveform digitizer board that will be small enough to be placed at the APD and telescope. With these advances we anticipate improving the signal-to-noise ratio by a factor of ten over the current receiver system.
This paper reports our preliminary investigation of developing an optically coupled CCD x-ray imaging system for digital x-ray fluoroscopy. The limitations of an image intensifier, TV camera based fluoroscopy are discussed. The contrast sensitivity and contrast-detail deductibility of a lens coupled CCD prototype was compared with an image- intensifier, TV camera based fluoroscopy. The results indicated that a well designed coupled CCD can be x-ray quantum noise limited, and it offers better contrast and resolution than the investigated image-intensifier, TV camera fluoroscopy systems.
The design of a proposed CCD mosaic concept for digital mammography uses a lead shied with through holes to reduce the patient exposure in regions of the mosaic where there are no CCDs. This shield also has an inherent advantage of reducing the amount of scattered x-rays. We examined the scatter-to-primary ratio dependency with aperture size above and below the breast and air gap distance between the CCD assembly and the bottom of the breast. These results are discussed in regards to the optimization of the CCD mosaic concept and theoretical calculations.
We report experimental results that further confirm the feasibility of a novel large-field digital mammography technique. This technique uses a mosaic of area array CCDs in a checker board like pattern with spacing left between the CCDs for the driver and readout electronics. To obtain a complete x-ray image, the mosaic must be repositioned four times with an x-ray exposure at each position. To reduce the patient dose, a lead shield with appropriately patterned holes is introduced between the x-ray source and the patient. A previous report with similar tests used optical sources to evaluate the fundamental system concepts. The results reported here, however, were obtained using x-ray images acquired under clinical conditions and represent a more realistic demonstration of our concept. A high precision translation stage was used to position a fiber-coupled scintillating screen/CCD sensor assembly and acquire two images per sequence. These images were then combined using a simple computer algorithm to produce a seamless composite. A systematic but relatively easy alignment of the two critical surfaces yielded consistent, repeatable alignment of the images in the composite. These results make a convincing case for the feasibility of our area-scanning large-field mammography concept.
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