Feasibility Analysis and Demonstration of High-Speed Digital Imaging of Armor/Antiarmor Testing 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, and 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 selfluminosity of explosive events motivate the development of a high-brightness imaging technique obviating the limitations of previous attempts. Vertical cavity surface-emitting laser arrays and a lens system are proposed with temporal and spectral filtering to effectively remove self-luminosity and fireball from the image, providing excellent background discrimination in a range of test scenarios.