Broadband source for multispectral imager characterization

摘要

Current development of optical sensors has lead to their increased utility and potential. Applications for these imagers encompass not just single regions of the electromagnetic spectrum but indeed all parts of the thermal radiation spectrum, ultraviolet through long-wave infrared, indicative for instance of Earth's atmosphere. Accordingly, these multispectral imagers mandate the development of entirely new test methods and test hardware to measure and calibrate the benchmarks of their performance; such as SNR, uniformity, sensitivity, linearity, and dynamic range. The role of the test hardware is thus driven not only to provide high-resolution, uniform, and stable output but also to provide multispectral output to minimize the amount of measurement equipment required and in order to demonstrate their full functionality. Multispectral imagers require that test hardware be capable of producing an output that matches high daylight down through low light/starlight irradiance levels. This paper explores the characterization, testing, and advantages and drawbacks of various types of multispectral sources spanning UV through SWIR over a high dynamic range of output