Extended Laser Line Scan Optical Imaging System Characterization

摘要

Our overall goal is to develop a 'next generation' underwater optical imaging system. The system is predicted to have extended range performance (> 3 total attenuation lengths). Under an ONR funded SBIR program Phase II with Aculight Co. (Bothell WA), we have received and are testing a new laser line scan system. This proposal requested additional funds to support and extend those tests by allowing enhanced characterization of the environment as well as data collection with higher dynamic range and speed. Enhanced processing of the data will also be accomplished with additional computer facilities. One of the most difficult imaging situations is when looking through turbid media. Motivated by the many applications that occur in medical, environmental, and the military, there has been a prevailing need for either formulating better imaging geometries or understanding the limitations of the existing ones. The achievable resolution in turbid media is typically limited by the severe scattering that photons are subject to when transiting back after reflection from a target of interest. This is in contrast with many areas such as optical microscopy and semiconductor wafer inspection, where more often than not, resolution is imposed by the diffraction limit.