Feasibility Analysis and Demonstration of High-Speed Digital Imaging Using Micro-Arrays of Vertical Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers.

摘要

Previous laser illumination systems at Aberdeen Proving Ground and elsewhere required complex pulse timing, extensive cooling large-scale laser systems (frequency-doubled flash-pumped Nd:YAG Cu-vapor, Q-switched ruby), making them difficult to implement for range test illumination in high speed videography. Requirements to illuminate through the self-luminosity of explosive events motivate the development of a high brightness imaging technique obviating the limitations of previous attempts. A lensed vertical cavity surface-emitting laser array is proposed and implemented with spectral filtering to effectively remove self-luminosity and the fireball from the image, providing excellent background discrimination in a variety of range test scenarios.