Analysis and Evaluation of Sampled Imaging Systems

Advancing technology in detector arrays, flat panel displays, and digital image processing provides new opportunities to expand imaging applications and enhance system performance. Technical managers and design engineers are faced with evaluating the cost, weight, and performance of an ever-expanding selection of technology options. This tutorial text provides the theory, procedures, and information necessary to evaluate and compare the performance of available imaging technologies. Part I updates the earlier work presented in Analysis of Sampled Imaging Systems (2000). Part II discusses performance evaluation of electro-optical imagers. Part III provides computer programs (on a supplemental CD-ROM) and up-to-date information on detector arrays, optics, and display options. <BR> <BR> The book covers a variety of display formats and interfaces, and provides detailed information on available focal plane arrays (FPAs). Particular emphasis is placed on theory and practice for the wide variety of available infrared FPAs. Technologies represented include InSb, HgCdTe, QWIP, and uncooled thermal arrays. Information is provided on the quantum efficiency, blur, crosstalk, and noise characteristics of each technology. The detector and array dimensions of available FPAs are provided. The information on optics, display, and FPA subassemblies allows the model user to make quick and realistic performance assessments of electro-optical imager designs.

Richard H. Vollmerhausen currently consults in the areas of electro-optical systems analysis and modeling. He retired as head of the Model Development Branch at the U.S. Army s Night Vision Lab (NVL). During his tenure at NVL, the branch developed and validated a target acquisition metric to replace the traditional Johnson criteria. His experience includes project engineer and EO systems analyst for numerous Army weapon systems. His previous work include-ed designing air-to-air missile seekers for the Navy and working as an instrumentation engineer for Douglas Aircraft on the Saturn/Apollo program. Mr. Vollmerhausen is the author of two books on electro-optical systems analysis and has published numerous journal and symposium papers. <BR> <BR> Donald A. Reago, Jr. has 24 years experience in electro-optics gained through his work at the Army Night Vision Lab (now NVESD). His background includes development on infrared systems, component development technology, and signal processing/multisensor fusion for automatic target recognition. He currently serves as the Deputy Director for Technology and Countermine at NVESD. <BR> <BR> Ronald G. Driggers. received a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Memphis in 1990. Dr. Driggers has 23 years of electro-optics experience and has worked or consulted for Lockheed Martin (Orlando), SAIC, EOIR Measurements, Amtec Corp-oration, Joint Precision Strike Demonstration Project Office, Redstone Technical Test Center, and Army Research Laboratory. He was recently appointed to the Senior Executive Service as the Superintendent of the Optical Sciences Division at the Naval Research Laboratory. Previously, he was the Director of the Modeling and Simulation Division at the U.S. Army s Night Vision and Electronic Sensors Directorate (NVESD). Dr. Driggers is the author of four books on infrared and electro-optics systems and has published over 100 research papers. He was Editor-in-Chief of the Encyclopedia of Optical Engineering (Taylor and Francis). He was selected as the 2002 Army Materiel Command s Engineer of the Year, the 2001 CERDEC Technical Employee of the Year, and the 2001 NVESD Technical Employee of the Year. He is a U.S. Naval Reserve Officer and was selected as the 2001 Naval Engineering Duty Officer of the Year (William Kastner Award). He is also a Fellow of SPIE, the Optical Society of America, and the Military Sensing Symposium. In January 2010, Dr. Driggers took over duties as Editor-in-Chief of SPIE s flagship journal, Optical Engineering.