Many DoD applications require hyperspectral imagery where several spectral bands are simultaneously captured to enhance targeting ability or to verify success of experimental tests. Information gathered over multiple spectral bands may provide critical information related to combustion efficiency, camouflaged weapons, target discrimination or missile launch detection. Regardless of the specific applications, a common characteristic in most tactical applications and tests is that the object being observed varies rapidly with time. Because of the high speed nature of these events, any attempt to capture spectral data in a time-sequential manner will result in undesirable artifact. It is therefore critical that the spatial and spectral data be captured simultaneously. Under this SBIR development, Summit Imaging proposes to analyze the feasibilty of developing a hyperspectral imager which can capture sixteen spectral bands over the range of 350nm to 860nm - each with a nominal bandwidth of around 35nm. The proposed imaging system would allow simultaneous capture of 512x512 images in each of sixteen unique spectral bands at up to 30 frames per second. Phase I will combine a theoretical feasibility study along with a proof-of-concept prototype test to demonstrate the techniques proposed using small, in-house test structures. A hyperspectral imager capable of providing simultaneous capture of both 2-D image data and spectral resolution would have tremendous commercial potential in such areas as thin film and combustion analysis, laser induced breakdown spectroscopy and earth resource management
