SBIR-STTR Award

This proposal is for a new innovative technology using diffractive optics configured in an array and placed in close proximity to the focal plane array enabling a miniature hyper-spectral LWIR imaging system. Using the right spectral region for detection and analysis of the spectral properties of chemical and biological warfare agents can support efforts to rapidly identify these threats in the battle field. The proposed approach uses diffractive optical elements arrange in an array allowing the collection of multi-color images simultaneously each frame of the multi-spectral/hyper-spectral camera and the entire hyper-spectral data cubes is collected in less than a second. This sensor is applicable to be used by either a dismount, ground based vehicle or airborne platform. Phase I will focus on the conceptual design for a hyper-spectral imaging sensor using lenslets arrays.

Keywords:
Lenslet Arrays, Chemical Warfare Detection, Biological Warfare Agent Detection, Focal Plane Arrays, Simultaneous Multi-Spectral Imaging

A miniature (5 pounds, 10 watts) LWIR multi-spectral/hyperspectral imaging system will be developed for applications in remote detection and identification of chemical and biological warfare agents, toxic industrial chemicals (TIC?s), homemade explosives (HME?s) and disturbed soil indicating a buried IED. This small size and power will allow a handheld instrument that can be carried by a dismount or flown on small UAV?s. The uniqueness and innovation of this development effort is not only the small size and low power but the addition of simultaneously imaging in 16 different spectral bands each frame of the camera. Simultaneous multi-spectral and rapid collection of hyperspectral image data can be achieved by taking advantage of the state-of-the-art in micro-optic electro machined systems (MOEMS) technology. Utilizing MOEMS technology circular blazed grating lenslet placed inside the dewar and close to the focal plan array are now possible and give the simultaneous multispectral imaging. An additional advantage to this approach is the inherit cooling of the optics which will minimizes the self-radiation of the lenses and maximize sensitivity.

Keywords:
Moems, Circular Blazed Grating, Lenslet Array,Simultaneous Multspectral Imaging, Ied Detection, Hme Detection, Tic Detection, Medical Imaging