ULTRA-WIDE FIELD OF VIEW CONCENTRIC SCANNING SENSOR WITH A FLAT PIECE-WISE DETECTOR ARRAY

摘要

A compact, high numerical aperture, high resolution, ultra-wide field of view concentric scanning optical sensor. In the most general embodiment, the optical arrangement (10) includes an at least semi-spherical lens (14) having a base; a reflective surface (16) centered at a center of said base and parallel thereto; and an array (20) of detectors disposed to receive electromagnetic energy received through said lens and reflected by said surface. In the illustrative embodiment, the semi-spherical lens is a ball lens (14). The reflective surface is aspherical and designed to correct aberrations. A mechanism (19) is included for rotating the ball lens (14) causing the system to scan. A dome lens (18) is disposed over the ball lens and concentric therewith. Electromagnetic energy is received trhough the dome and ball lenses and reflected by the mirror to the detector array. A field lens assembly (21) is disposed between the detectors and the mirror. The field lens assembly allows the use of flat piece-wise sensor chip assemblies (SCAs). The use of flat SCAs allows the system to have the compact advantages of a concentric system without the need of expensive curved surface focal detector array.