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 The
research aims to exploit physical concepts and emerging
technologies to create novel EO solutions to address
capability gaps and improve sensors. The research will
address issues of improving target acquisition by increasing
operational range and target discrimination, and providing
sensors with greater reliability and lower cost, size,
weight and power consumption. The programme will comprise
a portfolio of projects balanced in terms of technical
risk and potential benefits. A feature of this sub-theme
will be the assessment of technologies and methods from
other areas for application in military EO sensing.
The development of higher technical risk concepts will
be tempered by a structured management approach to mitigate
programme risk and financial exposure and to provide
focus on evaluation of the research in a military context.
Adaptive optics (AO) is an example
of a technology which is mature within the astronomical
community and which has potential benefits for the military
user. In astronomy, AO is used primarily to increase
resolution by providing compensation for wavefront distortion
by atmospheric non-uniformities.
However, it is recognised that the
technology has the potential to enable laser and sensor
designs with greater affordability and superior integration
characteristics as well as performance enhancements
in image quality and laser beam delivery. The initial
programme looks at the fundamental issues of using AO
concepts in military systems as a possible precursor
to an independent sub-theme.
Synthetic aperture (SA) techniques
are established in the RF spectrum and hold the potential
for a stepwise increase in the resolution capability
of EO systems. The resolution of EO systems is limited
by the size of the optical aperture. SA utilises the
phase properties of the wavefront from the target to
construct the optical equivalent of a very large aperture
from much smaller apertures at a known separation. It
is recognised that there are physical limitations to
the applicability of this technique, as well as formidable
practical difficulties in implementation.
 However,
the potential benefits from synthetic aperture technology
are so substantial that the programme will undertake
an investigation of the feasibility of using SA in military
applications.
The emerging technology of photonic
crystal fibres presents a number of possibilities for
applications in EMRS. Laser systems suffer from beam
quality issues and divergence, which reduces the amount
of energy that can be delivered to the target. This
in turn increases the power requirements of the laser
or adds bulky optical systems for beam control. Photonic
fibres offer the possibility of producing high quality,
high power laser beams. The initial programme will investigate
the use of this technology to improve efficiency in
laser delivery systems.
Temperature referencing is a fundamental
requirement for achieving sensitivity and stability
of operation in IR sensors. It is also a well-established
problem for IR sensor designs, and current technologies
add bulk, cost and complexity. The programme will look
at novel approaches aimed at providing simpler integrated
solutions.
Hybrid optics using diffractive technology
has enabled more compact, high performance designs with
integral thermal compensation. Implementation of this
technology has focused on simple linear phase gratings.
Analogous techniques in RF applications have demonstrated
significant gains in efficiency and noise suppression
using graduated structures. The programme will investigate
the benefits and issues associated with applying these
methods in design and manufacture of EO systems.
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