Rapid survey of a circular zone using an IR scanning system with a photodetector array

摘要

This paper discusses a method of viewing a circular spatial zone by using a scanning thermal direction finder, based on a photodetector array with a high frame frequency and an ITR readout regime. A number of analytical relationships useful for the design of a scanning thermal direction finder are obtained, including the connection of the signal-accumulation time with the frame frequency, the angular frame size in the azimuthal scanning direction, and the radius of the circle of confusion of the detector objective. The proposed method provides high angular resolution, a signal-accumulation time to 2 ms, and increased sensitivity of the apparatus. The maximum information-renewal frequency, determined by the azimuthal-scanning frequency, reaches several hertz. The best conditions for using the proposed method are ensured when one works in the mid-IR region.