SBIR-STTR Award

AMI utilizes a technique known as the "ribbon wind" approach to manufacture infrared fiber image bundles. The ribbon wind approach provides a unique opportunity to manufacture relatively low cost, large format, medium resolution infrared fiberoptic image bundles for industrial, commercial and military applications. Indeed, this approach has been applied successfully by numerous fiberoptic manufacturing companies to fabricate high performance "visible-energy" devices for the U.S. Air Force (heads up displays) and the U.S. Army (ruggedized, remote tank sights). The NAVY is in the process of developing a passive Missile Warning Receiver (MWR) system for tactical aircraft, utilizing rockwell's mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) 25x256 element detector array (IRFPA). The imaging bundle/array will sense the plume radiation of an incoming missile and forward this information for calculation of trajectory and speed, providing an effective countermeasure. this Phase I proposal provides a means for AMI to improve the transmission efficiency of its IR glass fiber, the image resolution of its ribbon bundles and to provide proof of concept prototypes to the government for later work involving larger format and longer length bundles.

Keywords:
Infrared Fiberoptic Imaging Imagescope Glass Mwr Irfpa

The Navy plans to use a passive infrared (IR) system in tactical aircraft to detect the radiation from the plume of incoming missiles. Images from IR optics, located on the exterior surface of the aircraft, will be transmitted to the sensor (camera) in the interior of the aircraft by fiber optic (FO) coherent imaging bundles, perhaps 10 meters long. The camera will contain a cooled 256X256 mercury-cadmium-telluride (MCT) focal plan array (IRFPA) which must be placed in a suitable location within the aircraft. Presently, the technology requiredd to form IR FO imaging bundles does not exist, much less that required to form 10 meter bundles. In a Phase I SBIR program, Amorphous Materials succeeded in forming IR FO imaging bundles from high purity arsenic trisulfide glass fibers using the "ribbon wind" technique. The evaluation results from the three 1 meter bundles fabricated show the method has great promise of producing bundles which will meet all requirements. The purpose of the Phase II program is to extend the technology to form 10 meter bundles. Optical performance will be improved by using smaller fibers more tightly packed. The transmission of IR will be increased by providing anti-reflection coatings. IR optical elements needed to fully evaluate and utilize the capability of the bundle will be designed and built. At the conclusion of Phase II, Amorphous Materials will be prepared to produce for the U.S. Navy FO coherent imaging bundles which meet system requirements.

Keywords:
Infrared Fiberoptic Imaging Imagescope Glass Mwr Irfpa