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Welcome to

your Digital Edition of

Photonics & ImagingTechnology

March 2017

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Intro

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March 2017

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs

High-Power Fiber Lasers

Infrared Cameras SupportAdvanced 3D Printing Efforts

Finding the Right Chip-on-TipCamera Technology

SPECIAL SECTION:Technology Leaders in

Cameras & Imaging Systems

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March 2017

Supplement to NASA Tech Briefs



Finding the Right Chip-on-TipCamera Technology

SPECIAL SECTION:Technology Leaders in

Cameras & Imaging Systems

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Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017 1Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65849-819

FEATURES

2 Fiber Optics2 High-Power Fiber Lasers

12 Infrared Technology12 Infrared Cameras Support Advanced 3D Printing Efforts

15 Application Briefs15 Autonomous Driving – In a ‘Flash’

16 ViDAR Optical Radar Provides New Maritime SearchCapability

TECH BRIEFS

19 2.2-Micron, Uncooled, InGaAs Photodiodes andBalanced Photoreceivers up to 25-GHz Bandwidth

20 Fourier Transform Spectrometer System

20 Large-Area, Polarization-Sensitive Bolometer for Multi-Mode Optics

DEPARTMENTS

22 New ProductsO

SPECIAL SECTION

Technology Leaders in Cameras & Imaging Systems6 Finding the Right Chip-on-Tip Camera Technology

9 Thermal Imaging: How Does It Work?

11 Six Questions About Today’s Camera Market

ON THE COVER

Toshiba Imaging’s new ultra-small, high-perfor-mance IK-CT2 chip-on-tip (COT) camera head(0.7 x 0.7 mm backside-illuminated CMOS sen-sor) can be used for both medical endoscopesand industrial inspection. To learn more aboutCOT technology and how to select the rightsensor and the best vendor for any small diam-eter, flexible, and/or rigid scope application, seethe feature story on pg. 6. (Images courtesy of Toshiba Imaging SystemsDivision)

CONTENTS

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2 Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017

High-power (multi-kW) fiber lasersare revolutionizing industrial mate-

rials processing markets by offering anunmatched combination of perform-ance, reliability, and cost advantages. Forexample, in sheet metal cutting (thelargest application, with more than $1B/year of laser sales), fiber lasers pro-vide the highest cutting speed (especial-ly for thin sheets, the dominant applica-tion), scalability to thick sheets (>1"),and the ability to process a wide range ofmetals with a single tool. Along with lowpower consumption and high reliability,these capabilities result in the lowestcost per part. Fiber lasers have thusbeen the fastest-growing segment of thelaser market for the past decade.

As deployment of fiber lasers hasincreased, users have identified severalshortcomings of existing designs:• Their sensitivity to back reflections

from the work piece causes frequentprocess interruptions, precludes pro-cessing certain metals or finishes, andcan result in laser instability or damage.

• Their limited serviceability causesexcessive downtime and service cost,and prevents system integrators fromproviding world-class customer serviceto the end-users.Furthermore, several emerging appli-

cations would be enabled by moreadvanced performance, including high-er beam quality and beam-shaping

options, faster modulation rates andrise/fall times, and sophisticated wave-form-generation capabilities.

The following sections cover:• fundamental aspects of fiber-laser and

component technologies that confer sig-nificant performance and reliabilityadvantages,

• the design and performance of next gen-eration fiber lasers that address the out-standing needs summarized above, and

• application examples that illustrate thecapabilities of next-generation fiberlasers.

Fiber Laser BasicsFigure 1 shows a schematic diagram of

a generic laser system. All lasers are

comprised of an optical gain mediumhoused in a cavity. A laser system mayalso include one or more amplificationstages (additional gain media) that fur-ther increase the optical power. Key dif-ferences among laser designs include:• the nature of the gain media,• how the gain media are energized

(pumped),• the design of the cavity,• the inclusion of components to con-

trol the spectral, spatial, and temporalcharacteristics of the output beam,

• the optical system employed to deliverthe laser beam to the application, and

• the coupling among these compo-nents.The choices made by the laser design-

Figure 1. Schematic diagram showing the key components of a high-power laser system. The laser cav-ity is formed by the high reflector and output coupler mirrors. The number of amplification stagesvaries among laser designs (typically between 0 and 2). The various coupling and output optics mayinclude multiple lenses and mirrors. In diode-pumped solid state lasers, the pump sources are basedon semiconductor lasers, and the gain media are usually rare-earth-doped crystals or glasses.

High-Power Fiber LasersNew Applications Are Being Enabled by Dramatic

Advances in Design and Performance

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er among these technologies determineall of the important laser characteristics,including performance (power, efficien-cy, beam quality, wavelength, polariza-tion, stability, etc.) and practicality (cost,reliability, manufacturability, serviceabil-ity, etc.), which ultimately determine thesuitability of the laser source for theintended applications.

Three key technologies have beenespecially important for the develop-ment of high-performance, high-relia-bility lasers for industrial applications:1. Diode laser pump sources: Diode

(semiconductor) lasers directly con-

vert electrical energy to light withhigh efficiency (>50%). Continuousimprovements, particularly duringand after the telecommunicationsboom of the 1990s, have dramaticallyincreased the power, efficiency, andreliability of diode lasers. Diode lasersare particularly well suited for pump-ing solid-state gain media because oftheir brightness and spectral charac-teristics. Diode lasers are manufac-tured in two formats: (a) single emit-ters, in which each semiconductorchip includes one light-producingregion (emitter) that typically pro-

vides 10 – 20 W of power; and (b)diode bars, in which multiple emittersare included within one semiconduc-tor structure. Single emitters weredeveloped extensively for telecom(and the advances continue to thisday); they provide the highest power,brightness, efficiency, modulationrate, and reliability (>1,000,000 hr.mean time to failure), in part becausethe emitters are thermally and electri-cally decoupled, and they can be effi-ciently coupled into an optical fiber.

2. Solid-state gain media: Solid-state gainmedia are generally more reliable andrequire less maintenance and consum-ables than gaseous or liquid gainmedia. Most solid-state gain media arecomposed of a rare-earth element,which provides optical gain, dopedinto a crystalline or glass host. Thechoice of the rare-earth dopant(s) andhost material determines the absorb-ing (pumping) and emitting (lasing)wavelengths and the efficiency, whichin turn determine the attainable powerand beam quality. Yb-doped gainmedia are particularly well suited forhigh-power applications because they

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Figure 2. Schematic diagram showing the key components of a high-power fiber laser, illustrating thegreat simplification compared to the free-space design shown in Fig. 1. The laser cavity is formed by thehigh reflector and output coupler fiber Bragg gratings (in-fiber mirrors). The various coupling and outputoptics have all been replaced by passive fibers and fused-fiber components. Fiber-coupled semiconduc-tor lasers are used as pumps, and the gain media are rare-earth-doped fibers. Splices are denoted “X”.

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are pumped at 910 – 980 nm, wherediode lasers offer the highest powerand efficiency, and lase in the wave-length range of 1030 – 1090 nm, wherethe small energy difference from thepump wavelength (“quantum defect”)enables operation at high optical-to-optical (pump-to-lasing) efficiency andcorrespondingly low thermal load.

3. Optical fibers: An optical fiber is astrand of glass (typically silica-based)that guides light by total internalreflection, thereby eliminating theeffects of diffraction. Confining a laserbeam to a fiber enables low-loss trans-mission and delivery of optical powerwithout the use of mirrors, lenses, orother free-space optics that are proneto misalignment, contamination, anddamage and whose performance canbe degraded by vibration, temperaturevariations, other environmental fac-tors, and optical power changes.Passive optical fibers simply transmitlight, whereas active optical fibers, inwhich the core is doped with a rare-earth element and pumped by a diodelaser, provide gain. The fiber gainmedium offers the highest optical-to-optical efficiency because of the longoptical path length and excellent over-lap of the lasing beam with the gainregion. Furthermore, the high sur-face-area-to-volume ratio facilitatesheat removal, making the fiber gainmedium particularly well suited topower scaling. Finally, the mirrorsrequired to form a laser cavity can bewritten into passive optical fiber (fiberBragg gratings) and spliced to the gainfiber. As with pump diodes, advances inoptical fibers have been driven bytelecommunications applications andcontinue today.Diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS)

lasers combine the first two of thesetechnologies. Fiber lasers combine allthree technologies, enabling the highestperformance, reliability, and practicalityof any laser technology on the market.In particular, fiber lasers offer the fol-lowing advantages:• Highest wall-plug efficiency: For the

reasons outlined above, fiber lasersprovide the highest efficiency of anyDPSS laser, typically achieving 30%and with the capability of 50%. In addi-tion to reducing power consumption,high efficiency minimizes coolingrequirements, further reducing powerconsumption, cost, and floor spacerequired for the laser system.

Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65849-747

Examples of material processing enabled by theback-reflection insensitivity and stability ofnLIGHT alta™ fiber lasers. (a) Copper cuttingsamples. (b) Deep-penetration copper welds.Image provided by Laser Depth Dynamics. (c)Cap weld performed on a five-layer structurecomposed of a 250 μm copper foil on top of 4layers of aluminum foil (100 – 250 μm). Imageprovided by Laser Mechanisms. (d) Cross-sectionof a weld between copper and aluminum, showingmixing of the materials within the weld joint.

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• Excellent beam quality: The beam quality is determined bythe wave-guiding properties of the fiber and is extraordinarilystable, even in the presence of environmental perturbationsand changes in optical power level. With suitable designs,fiber lasers can provide single-mode (diffraction-limited)beam quality, although this feature is not typically used formulti-kW industrial applications. The high beam quality offiber lasers enables:� improved processing speed and quality (e.g. for thin sheet

metal cutting),� remote processing (where a small spot size must be main-

tained at a relatively large distance),� beam formatting (e.g. flat-top and line beams) for process

optimization, and� a large process window (e.g. insensitivity to small misalign-

ments or work piece variations).• High reliability: A unique feature of fiber lasers is the ability to

use fiber-based components and fusion splicing (meltingtogether of the fibers) to completely eliminate free-space opticsand their associated mounts and adjustments between thepump diodes and the process head. The optical beams are con-fined to a sealed, stable, alignment-free optical system that isimpervious to vibration, contamination, power changes, etc.When pumped with single-emitter-based pumps with telecom-grade reliability, these fiber lasers have no consumables otherthan electricity and require no routine maintenance.

• Fiber beam delivery: Fiber delivery of the beam to the processhead enables elimination of free-space optics and theiraccompanying mounts, beam tubes, and purge gas, and itensures that the beam characteristics do not change with timeor position on the work piece. Although other DPSS lasers canbe fiber coupled, doing so employs high-power free-spaceoptics with associated cost, complexity, optical loss, and thepossibility for misalignment, contamination, and damage. Incontrast, fiber lasers can be spliced directly to the deliveryfiber, with no degradation of performance or reliability.A fiber-based architecture enables all of the key components

and functions of a laser system shown in Figure 1 to be incor-porated into a fused, all-fiber assembly (Figure 2). The result-ant combination of unmatched performance, reliability, andpracticality thus derives from fundamental technological fac-tors, as outlined above, and these sources are uniquely wellsuited for industrial applications, where cost, uptime, and pro-cessing quality are critical.

ConclusionsAs a result of their innate technological advantages and rapid

advances in component technologies, fiber lasers offer unprece-dented performance, reliability, and cost of ownership. Nextgeneration fiber lasers are driving wider adoption in establishedapplications and expansion into advanced and emerging appli-cations. In particular, things like imperviousness to back-reflec-tions, high power stability and tunability, rapid modulation capa-bilities, and unique serviceability are enabling uninterruptedprocessing of highly reflective metals and finishes, high-speedremote processing, and processing of CFRP and other novelmaterials, all with industry leading uptime and parts cost.

This article was written by Dahv A.V. Kliner, Senior Director,Industrial Fiber Lasers, and Lynn Sheehan, Global Director ofApplications, nLIGHT (Vancouver, WA). For more information, con-tact Mr. Kliner at [email protected] or visithttp://info.hotims.com/65849-200.

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TECHNOLOGY LEADERS Cameras & Imaging Systems


Finding the Right Chip-on-Tip Camera Technology

You have a great idea that couldpotentially revolutionize yourindustry: a new surgical tech-nique, diagnostic solution, or

inspection system. You already knowgetting there will require the latestvideo imaging technology from anincredibly small, sub-millimeter, pack-age; in other words, a distal chip-on-tip(COT) video camera. The COT needsto integrate into an elegantly designed,flexible device and allow video imaginginto anatomy that was previously inac-cessible, or image into the tiny darkcrevices of our mechanized world. Thetechnology has to be inexpensive, yetvideo performance needs to be com-petitive with larger sensor video prod-ucts with which the market is alreadyfamiliar. (Figure 1). So, where do youstart to identify appropriate video tech-nologies and vendors?

Selecting a vendor for COT technol-ogy can be a daunting task. While thereare not so many sensor options avail-able, the combination of a sensor,image processing, electro-optical char-acteristics, and me chanical specsmakes for a serious challenge. Whenchoosing a vendor partner for yourvisualization project, it is essential toconsider the core requirements of yourapplication, such as device size, length,re-use/sterilization, optics, and impor-tantly, video performance. In additionto the properties of the camera moduleor sensor, you must also factor in thecapabilities, history, strength, and qual-ity of your vendor.

You are on a QUEST — an acronymfor Quality, Use, Externals, Supplier,Technology. Through these five steps,you can define your specific devicerequirements and select the best tech-nology and supplier for your applica-tion. The relative importance for eachcomponent will be driven by yourapplication, so the list is not a step-by-step progression as much as it is areminder of the core elements to con-sider.

QualityQuality is always important, but in

this context, the characteristic is notintended to refer only to meeting par-ticular industry standards, such asISO 13485 or 9001 quality manage-ment systems. Quality also involvesthe intended application and use.Will the proposed chip-on-tip imag-ing technology perform reliably andconsistently to meet your end-cus-tomer’s expectations? Quality, in thiscontext, is a relative term; the expec-tations for a single-use device will like-ly be less than one which is intendedfor multiple uses, with respect tomaterials, build quality, and durabili-ty. Does your vendor provide ade-quate procedures and test tools forverification of product performance,with incoming inspection and docu-mentation of its own testing results?How will discrepancies be resolved?These are important vendor qualifica-tions to evaluate in the decision-mak-ing process.

UseUse refers to your vision of how the

device will be employed, how manytimes it should be operated, and how itwill be processed. Use affects manyfacets of the design, cost, materials, andconstruction. If your target device isintended for single use (in other words,disposable), are there any materials,assembly, or performance criteriawhich could be lowered to reducecosts? Today there are single-use videocomponents available for certainlaparoscopic, arthroscopic, urological,and intubation applications. The videoquality and performance of these sin-gle-use systems may be moderately orsubstantially below those of more con-ventional multi-use alternatives, but thesingle-use technologies may perform“good enough” to meet your internalperformance requirements and theclinical needs of the users. For exam-ple, a camera that includes a hard sap-phire front lens element may be perfectfor durability, but the costs may out-

Figure 1. A doctor holds a lighted probe used in endoscopic procedures. (Credit: Toshiba Imaging)

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weigh its advantages if the target deviceis intended for single use. What will theapplication tolerate for a single-useexpense, based on procedure reim-bursement rates? Alternatively, if thedevice cost and design quality allows forits re-use for some number of cycles,what return-on-investment (ROI) calcu-lations are needed to support thisapproach? If a product will be subject-ed to multiple sterilization cycles, thenadditional validation may be requiredto determine if sterilization is not onlyeffective, but that the product design isrugged enough to successfully clear thegiven number of re-use cycles.

Externals Externals encompass all the

requirements imposed by those out-side of your organization, includingregulatory requirements for docu-mentation, labeling, testing, and man-ufacturing. Does the market alreadyhave existing options to perform theprocedure? What are the key require-

ments in terms of optical perform-ance expectations, field of view, focalrange, device integrity for liquidincursion, illumination, bend radiusfor navigation, or user interface?What mechanical and optical proper-ties are needed from the chip-on-tiptechnology and the vendor to ensurethe intended application is viable?Does the proposed product offer themarket improved accessibility, smallersize, and enhanced imaging perform-ance? For example, if moving from a1.7 mm diameter sensor to a 1.0 mmsensor drops the catheter design from3.4 mm to 2.7 mm while maintainingthe same-sized working channel, willthis size reduction allow access intoadditional regions in the lung, gastro-intestinal, or urinary tracts? Perhaps asmaller device size, featuring appro-priate improvements in image quality,may allow a change in procedures,such as lung biopsies, which are typi-cally performed percutaneously byusing CT imaging to guide a needle. A

smaller-sized video instru-ment could permit com-parable access into thelung with direct visualiza-tion, potentially reducingrisks and providingimproved patient care(Figure 2).

SuppliersA supplier for COT

technology can be sensoronly, a complete turnkeycamera system, or ahybrid camera-compo-nent solution. If yourorganization has the inter-nal capabilities to managethe entire developmentprogram and integration,a sensor-only option mayprovide the greatest flexi-bility and design control.The downside, however, isthat the sensor requiresan experienced develop-ment team for optics,electrical, mechanical,materials, image process-ing, assembly, and quality.

On the other hand, asupplier that can provide

a turnkey module as an out-of-the boxcamera, ready for immediate use, elim-inates the internal developmentresources but may also limit your abili-ties for customization to ideally meetyour application requirements. A middle-ground option is to work with asupplier that provides a video cameramodule or components. The choice isbest suited for organizations that have aclear understanding of their target mar-ket and wish to focus on the integrationof a mostly complete camera designwithin a package that fits the applica-tion. Regardless of the type of supplierthat best meets your requirements,remember that the vendor’s technicalsupport, quality system, design flexibili-ty, and its manufacturing processes arecrucial to ensure product consistencyand reliability, and to minimize long-term risks. Selecting the cheapest sen-sor may not adequately protect youroverall product success if the product isinconsistent, poorly supported, or hasintermittent failures (Figure 3).

Figure 2. Toshiba Imaging’s IK-CT2 is an ultra-small COT video camera system with a 0.7 x 0.7 mm back-side illuminated CMOSsensor featuring 220 x 220 pixel resolution. Shown with LED lighting option. (Credit: Toshiba Imaging)

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Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65849-7498 Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017


Technology Technology has progressed substan-

tially in recent years. The latest genera-tion of ultra-compact CMOS sensorscan provide exceptional sensitivity.With a complete end-to end digitaldata path, from sensor through imageprocessing, these new sensors permitthe development of ultra-small, sub 1.5mm flexible scopes (including illumi-nation fibers) and sub 3 mm scopes,including working channels. Inte -

grated lenses featuring wide fields ofview of 120° and reasonably longdepths of field of 3-50 mm are ade-quate for providing low-distortion visu-alization inside narrow structures.Image processing is often an area thatdifferentiates one vendor solutionfrom another. What image processingtools are available and how well theycan be integrated within your systemare important considerations. Thecomponents from your vendor should

be easily adaptable for integrationwithin your opto-mechanical and elec-trical requirements.

Remember your QUEST will helpguide you to identify the best COTimaging technology, vendor, anddevelopment partner to bring yourvision to life.

This article was written by Paul Dempster,Director of Sales, Toshiba Imaging SystemsDivision (Irvine, CA). For more information,visit http://info.hotims.com/65849-225.

Figure 3. Comparison chart showing 5 COT vendors and specifications from their respective company data sheets. (Credit: Toshiba Imaging)

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By detecting very subtle tempera-ture differences of everything inview, infrared technology revealswhat otherwise would be invisi-

ble to the naked eye.

Pretty obvious. We make images ofheat. Think about how an image is madewith your smartphone camera. Visiblelight reflects off the objects you want toimage, that light comes into a lens, it isfocused on a sensor, and an image isdelivered. The same thing can be donewith heat coming from the object. Youmight wonder how do you focus on heat?What kind of sensor detects heat? Howdo you display heat? All good questions.

Just as in any science or technology,there are armies of brilliant people mak-ing thermal imaging products better allthe time. Just like the evolution fromearly PCs with C:\> to how we functionwith smartphones, thermal imagers havecome a long way. But very simply, thermalimaging is your thermal scene, a lens, asensor, and a display. It’s as simple as that.

INFRARED 101The easiest way to understand thermal

radiation is to understand how SirFrederick William Herschel discovered

infrared radiation in 1800. Very basically,Hershel studied sunlight through a prism.We all know the visible light is broken intoa rainbow. Put a thermometer on the col-ors, then put a second thermometer wellpast the red, and you will see the secondthermometer’s value rise. That is the“light” we see. It is the light past the red inthe visible spectrum, or the infrared lightcaptured by our cameras.

More basics: Everything always emitsthermal, or infrared, radiation. Youcan’t turn it off unless you are atabsolute zero (-273 deg. C). You andeverything around you are not the tem-perature of the sun, but modern cam-eras are sensitive enough to detect typ-ical temperatures on planet earth, andhave sufficient contrast to generategreat images. Simple enough.

Thermal Imaging: How Does It Work?

Sir Frederick William Herschel used a prism and thermometers in his experiment that eventually led to the dis-covery of the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Side-by-side view of a visible (left) and thermal (right) view of smoky forest scene

From left to right: AF6, AF12, and AF24 - Three thermal image views of same airport scene using different athermalized lenses and FOVs (Images taken with Sierra-Olympics’ Viento 640 Camera).

Thermal: ther•mal; ˈTHərməl/adjective: thermal

1. of or relating to heat.Imaging: im•age; ˈimij/verb: gerund or present participle

1. make a representation of the externalform of.

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There are dozens of treatises aboutinfrared imaging on the web. Everyonein the business loves to describe ourscience. But rather than write anotherstory about thermal imaging, we willlean on our partner experts at DRSTechnologies. They invented infraredimaging in the 1960s, and know morethan most.

THERMAL VS. VISIBLEOur eyes see visible radiation.

Thermal imagers see infrared radiation,something entirely different. You canbuy a great camera with 10 megapixelsthat will take snapshots and videos for$200. The smartphone is now the mostpopular form of camera, and its sensorcosts a few dollars. Thermal imagingmanufacturers aren’t there, and proba-bly never will be. We use exotic materialsin our sensors that are not so common,our lenses are made from crazy materialslike Germanium and Zinc Selenide, andwe don’t have billions of customers. Ifyou have a problem where you need tolocate heat or image heat, our camerasmake it easy and affordable.

FUNDAMENTALSWe should put some of the most

basic technical items on the table. Ifyou are approaching thermal imagingfrom an experience based upon stan-dard visible imaging, allow us to getsome preliminaries out of the way.

Resolution:We have 320 x 240 (QVGA) and 640

x 480 (VGA) imagers. There are largerarrays, but they are exotic and expen-sive. In thermal imaging, you can get a3MP imager from a big military con-tractor for a million bucks, maybe.

Cost:There are billions of people on the

planet, and most have a visible camera

in the cell phone. Thermal imagingjust does not have that large customerbase to create a $200 snapshot camera,or a $50 web camera. But compared towhere we were only a few years ago, weare very low cost.

Optics 1:Compared to the selection of optics

you see in the visible world, infraredoptics are very limited. Glass is opaqueto thermal radiation, so we must buildoptics out of exotics such asGermanium or Zinc Selenide orSapphire. This makes optics expensiveand limited in selection.

Flexibility:High speed, windowing, triggers,

binning, 3-CCD – functions commonlyavailable in modern cameras are notavailable on our value priced cameras.You are back up to very high-pricedcameras for these functions. Think$50,000 and up. Think $452 hammersand $640 toilet seats.

Optics 2:With my SLR camera, I can pop one

lens off and install another in seconds.You can’t do that with thermal imag-ing. The camera and lens are designedtogether. When you install anotherlens, it doesn't work as well. There areprocedures and tricks, but in general,one camera-one lens.

CONCLUSION:We’ve seen the basic workings of

thermal imaging in this brief overview.The applications for thermal andinfrared imaging are broad and rangefrom aerial surveillance and perimetersecurity, astronomy, military imagingand night vision, to automotive, lawenforcement, medical and laboratoryimaging, and from machine vision,inspection and other industrial tasks,to unmanned systems and more. Withimproved technology, manufacturingtechniques, and lower costs, we’re see-ing more applications develop thanever before.

This article was written by Chris Johnston,President, Sierra-Olympic Technologies, Inc.(Hood River, OR). For more information, con-tact Mr. Johnston at [email protected] visit http://info.hotims.com/65849-226.

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Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017

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Six Questions About Today’s Camera Market

A lthough camera components like CCD andinfrared sensors have reached a level of

maturity, imaging features continue to evolve.Analysts from the San Francisco, CA-basedbusiness consulting firm Grand View Researchspoke with P&IT about current camera tech-nology’s most exciting capabilities, applica-tions, and leaders.

Photonics & Imaging Technology: Whatis the future for both CCD and CMOStechnologies?

Ajinkya Ponkshe: The CMOS image sen-sor technology is expected to witness aconsiderable growth because of its lowcost, compact nature, and low power con-sumption. The increasing use of opticalmolecular imaging techniques in devel-oped countries is expected to generatehigh growth prospects for CMOS imagesensors. Additionally, the growing marketof advanced driver assistance systems(ADAS) in the automotive sector is alsoexpected to favorably influence the seg-ment growth in the years to come.

On the other hand, CCD is a maturetechnology that is likely to witness a portfo-lio of limited applications, such as productsthat require an extra-sensitive ElectronMultiplying CCD. CCD sensors are prima-rily developed as compact image sensorsfor the industrial and consumer markets.The grids present in CCDs are used invideo cameras, optical scanners, and digitalcameras as light-sensing devices.

P&IT: Has infrared imaging technologyreached its peak?

Ajinkya Ponkshe: Though the infraredtechnology is at its maturity stage, itwill witness gradual growth prospects

on account of the rising deployment inthe IR cameras and IR imaging fields,such as IR lens systems, sensors, anddetectors. Furthermore, the technolo-gy will find opportunities owing togrowing sale economies in homeautomation, security, and gas & firedetection solicitations.

P&IT: Where is digital camera technolo-gy being used?

Ajinkya Ponkshe: Digital cameras areexpected to witness a significant growthowing to features such as higher resolu-tion, secure transmission, ability to covermore distance, high-speed recording,and lower cable cost.

The rate of adoption of video surveil-lance IP cameras is high in the AsiaPacific region, which may be attributedto the presence of low-cost camera man-ufacturers in China and increased spend-ing on infrastructure and developmentinitiatives, such as smart city projects, inIndia. Factors, however, such as the needfor higher bandwidth and higher initialcost per camera may limit the use of dig-ital cameras.

P&IT: What kinds of features in camerasare most exciting to you? How has cam-era technology changed?

Thadhani Jagdish: With the help ofnovel device-designing techniques,cameras have become more portablethan ever. The modern day has wit-nessed the incorporation of laserfocusing and detection sensors intodifferent technologies that eliminatethe need for the shutter button on cameras.

Features such as voice recognitionand gesture recognition have furtherpromoted the incorporation of thedigital camera technology into varioussmart glasses. The smart glasses recorddata with a voice or gesture activationcommand. The miniaturization of thecamera technology and its collabora-tion with other high-tech gadgets, suchas [the eyewear], have brought about adynamic phase change in the camerausage trend witnessed to date.

P&IT: What characterizes “technologyleaders” in today’s camera market?

Thadhani Jagdish: The innovation in cam-era technologies is broadly based on thetype and potential of electronic con-stituents used, including sensors, micro-processors, microcontrollers, and ICs.Some of the contemporary technologies,such as IR thermal imaging, 3D depthsensing, 4K pixel, and panoramic imaging,are anticipated to revolutionize the cam-era industry in the coming years.

The present-day camera manufacturershave introduced innovative features, suchas built-in Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, direct interfaceto social networking sites and emails, 3GSIM card slots, wide screen touch screeninterfaces, and dynamic operating systemssupport to run different applications ondigital cameras like Android and iOS.

P&IT: What kinds of new applicationsare you seeing with imaging technology?

Thadhani Jagdish: The medical imagingmarket is anticipated to witness a signifi-cant growth in the near future because ofits efficiency in diagnostic complex med-ical conditions. The rising prevalence ofcritical and chronic diseases such as car-diovascular diseases and cancers, increas-ing awareness of early diagnosis, and agrowing number of diagnostics imagingprocedures have advanced the demandfor imaging systems in healthcare facilities.

3D imaging technology is widelyaccepted in the healthcare and medicalindustry for better visualization andimproved imaging. The growing accept-ance among radiologists and surgeons,and the increasing use of ultrasound 3Dimaging in cardiology and oncology,have influenced the demand for theimaging market, which has consequentlyfueled the growth of image sensors.

Furthermore, the imaging technology isexpected to witness a significant growth inthe automotive sector, specifically in ADASapplications. ADAS uses image sensors toimprove drivers’ safety by offering featuressuch as lane departure warning, parkingassistance, and collision avoidance.

For more information, visit www.grandviewresearch.com.



Ajinkya Ponkshe, SeniorResearch Analyst – Semi -conductors (Grand ViewResearch)

Thadhani Jagdish, Re searchAnalyst – Infor ma tion & Com -munications Tech nology(Grand View Research)

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Additive manufacturing (AM), alsoknown as 3D printing, is quite liter-

ally one of the most innovative technolo-gies revolutionizing manufacturingtoday, in terms of both industry “buzz”and thermal properties. Unlike subtrac-tive manufacturing methods such asmachining, the growing range of AMtechnologies creates components direct-ly from a computer model, adding material only where needed. WohlersAssociates, a leading independent con-sulting firm focused on these technolo-gies, is forecasting that the value of theworldwide AM market will grow to morethan $10.8 billion by 2021, up from just$2.2 billion in 2012. That rapid escala-tion, however, isn’t the result of hobby-ists buying desktop 3D printers that costa few hundred dollars.

Growing numbers of high-tech organi-zations are pioneering AM technologiesto use in applications ranging from prod-uct development to specialized manufac-turing in fields such as architecturaldesign, aerospace components, and med-ical implants. NASA has even sent two dif-ferent 3D printers, designed to operate inzero-G, to the International Space Station.

Additive manufacturing allows for fargreater design flexibility, decreased energyconsumption, and a faster time to market.AM parts, however, can be subject to qual-ity issues, thermal stresses, and distortionsthat are difficult to diagnose. Studying theprocess and its thermal characteristics withan infrared (IR) camera can help manu-facturers make in-situ corrections neededto improve their product quality and avoiddisruptions to production.

Taking Control of the ProcessToday, the variety of AM materials

being experimented with is expandingrapidly to include substances as varied ascement, carbon-fiber reinforced thermo-plastics, and living cells. For now, most3D printers are based on either metal- orpolymer-deposition technology. The U.S.Department of Energy’s ManufacturingDemonstration Facility (MDF) at OakRidge National Laboratory (ORNL) inKnoxville, Tennessee is one of theworld’s leading centers of AM research.Their work in the development of newand improved AM processes requires theability to monitor these processes closely,evaluate new materials, and understandthe reasons for process failures. The

quality of the parts produced can varywidely, often depending upon the inter-action between the manufacturingprocess characteristics and parametersettings. Additively manufactured partsare subject to a variety of quality issues.Too often, process parameters are setusing trial-and-error techniques; suchmethods take time, money, and can behighly subjective and material-specific.

The ability to monitor processingequipment, materials, and in-process parttemperatures quickly and accurately iscrucial to AM research. Typical contactforms of temperature measurement,including thermocouples, resistance tem-perature detectors, and thermistors,would be difficult or impossible to use

Binder jet 3D printing techniques are often used to create tough, wear-resistant metal parts like these.(Credit: FLIR)



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effectively. In contrast, IR cameras offer ahigh-speed, non-contact form of temper-ature measurement, and provide the dataaccuracy necessary to correlate processparameters and in-process temperaturedata with measures of finished part quali-ty. Instead of using trial and error to setprocess parameters, MDF researchersemploy infrared cameras to monitor theeffect of changes to printer settings or tothe materials used. The cameras help toidentify the source of quality issues, suchas part porosity, delamination, and ther-mal stresses, to name just a few.

MDF’s ‘Customers’Researchers at the MDF work closely

and share information with dozens ofAM equipment developers, manufactur-ers, and end-users, as well as governmentagencies like NASA and the U.S. AirForce, to explore new approaches andenhancements to various 3D printingprocesses. MDF researcher RalphDinwiddie has cooperated with manydifferent 3D printer companies.

“With one of these companies, wewere measuring the extrusion tempera-tures of experimental materials they

were developing, as well as the tempera-ture of the previous layer to understandthe optimum temperature to promoteadhesion,” said Dinwiddie.

Another recent partnership included ajoint development project to create a sys-tem capable of printing polymer compo-nents up to 10 times larger than previouslyproducible, and at speeds 200 to 500 timesfaster than before. The system incorpo-rates the design and technology from thepartner’s laser platform, including themachine frame, motion system, and con-trol, with an extruder and feeding systemdeveloped by the MDF. The technologyprints objects as large as the chassis andskin of a car, or sections of a small house.

Evolving Materials, EvolvingTechniques

Although researchers at the MDF arecurrently experimenting with multipleAM technologies, Dinwiddie is concen-trating on four of them:• Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) uses a

heated nozzle to melt and deposit athin filament of thermoplastic materialinto a two-dimensional pattern. Aftereach layer is complete, the build plat-

form sinks and another layer is applieduntil the object is complete.

• Large-Scale Polymer Deposition heats poly-mer pellets to near-molten tempera-tures, then extrudes them layer by

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A FLIR SC-8200 IR camera mounted on theARCAM A2 electron beam system at the Manufacturing Demonstration Facility. (Credit: FLIR)


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layer onto an out-of-the-oven buildplatform.

• Laser-Blown Powder Deposition uses inertgas to spray metal powder into a meltpool created by a high-power laserbeam.

• Electron Beam Melting manufacturesparts by melting metal powder in suc-cessive layers that are bound togetherusing a computer-controlled electronbeam.Dinwiddie works with a wide variety

of plastic and metallic materials in hisresearch, including combinations ofhigh-strength thermoplastics and car-bon fibers, a nickel alloy, titanium, andothers. Each melts at a different tem-perature and interacts with previouslayers in different ways, so monitoringand controlling temperatures accu-rately at every stage of production is essential.

Tools for TemperatureMonitoring

Even before focusing on AM researchefforts, Dinwiddie used his first high-performance IR camera to help contin-uous fiber ceramic composites develop-ers to understand how the materialsconducted heat. The effort allowed themanufacturers to optimize their manu-facturing processes.

“We’re often using multiple camerasto acquire temperature informationwith various points on the printer, likethe extruder tip, the heated chamberthat encloses the printer, the extruded

material itself, and the previous layerof extruded material,” Dinwiddie said.“We need the ability to make andrecord temperatures at high speedsand to calibrate these cameras with ourown black-body source.”

Dinwiddie says “windowing,” whichreads out a smaller subgroup of pixelson the IR detector, is also vital toresearch. By recording a smaller sub-area of pixels on the detector, Dinwiddiereduces the number of pixels per frame.Windowing allows the camera to sendout more frames per second, achievingfaster frame rates.

“My work also demands a lot of flexi-bility in terms of lenses,” Dinwiddie said.“For example, I've used telephoto lens-es, wide angle lenses, standard 50-mil-limeter lenses, as well as telescopes,microscope lenses, and a macro lens.I've also used extension rings so I canfocus much closer than I'd normally beable to do.”

In his AM research, Dinwiddie usesboth high-speed, midwave infrared(MWIR) cooled cameras, and lower-resolution, longwave infrared (LWIR)uncooled cameras. The differing capa-bilities of the cameras make eachdevice particularly suitable for specificsets of tasks.

The uncooled cameras, for example,are compact and can be mounted easi-ly on a polymer 3D printer to monitorthe temperature of the extruder tipand/or the extruded material. Theirthermal sensitivity of less than 50 mK

allows the cameras to distinguishbetween minor variations in tempera-ture. For tasks in which high-speedtemperature measurements are cru-cial, the cooled cameras’ windowingcapability enables the faster framerates necessary.

Although each new AM system ormaterial presents its own set of charac-terization challenges, some commontasks include real-time detection ofporosity while the parts are being print-ed with the e-beam systems. A pore typ-ically appears on a thermal image as adark spot. The cameras have alsoproven especially useful for “dialing-in”the correct processing parametersneeded to prevent the formation ofpores when working with new metalpowder formulations. For polymer 3Dsystems, Dinwiddie often measures thetemperature of each layer of a part as itis applied, in order to study the effectof the temperature of a previouslydeposited layer on the bond strengthbetween layers.

The cameras also measure the temper-ature of the build chamber and monitorthe thermal gradients in the part itself asit cools. With many polymer materials,uniform cooling helps reduce distortionin the finished part, which is why some3D printers have a heated build cham-ber to slow the cooling of a part’s out-side edges.

Correlating Temperature withQuality

Once parts are completed and cooled,MDF researchers typically characterizetheir quality, analyzing their microstruc-ture, strength, residual stresses, compo-sition, thermal conductivity, etc., usingX-ray tomography and other techniques.The data is correlated with the tempera-ture data acquired from the IR camerasto gauge the effect of process variationson finished product quality.

IR cameras have proven their valuein advancing a wide range of emergingAM technologies, giving materials sci-entists the accurate results they need tofine-tune materials, equipment, andprocess parameters. Such refining ofthe AM process will help the industrymeet its expected rapid growth in thecoming years.

This article was written by Chris Bainter,Americas Business Development Director –R&D/Science Segment, FLIR Systems, Inc.(Wilsonville, OR). For more information,visit http://info.hotims.com/65849-201.

Close-up of a FLIR SC-8200 IR camera mounted on the ARCAM A2 electron beam system. (Credit: FLIR)

Infrared Cameras

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Autonomous Driving — In a ‘Flash’

By combining CMOS technology withavalanche photodiodes, researchers

at the Fraunhofer Institute forMicroelectronic Circuits and SystemsIMS (Duisburg, Germany) have devel-oped a potentially cost-effective sensorprototype that aims to support driverlesscar applications. The “Flash LiDAR”could play a valuable role alongside thecameras, radars, and other componentswithin autonomous vehicles.

Breaking from TraditionTraditional LiDAR, or Light Detection

and Ranging, methods require a rotat-ing mechanical mirror. The glass steers alaser beam to an individual point withina given scene. Google’s self-driving car,in fact, features a protruding LiDARdevice on the top of the vehicle.

The LiDAR’s pulsed laser beamsreflect on objects near the vehicle, likesurrounding cars, cyclists, or pedestri-ans. The reflected light comes back tothe mirror and detector. To calculatedistance, position, and relative speed,such systems measure the time takenfor the light to travel to and from any objects.

Google’s device — initially a Velodyne64-beam laser — rotates 360 degrees toachieve readings of its surroundings.

The team at Fraunhofer IMS, led byWerner Brockherde, head of the insti-tute’s CMOS Image Sensors businessunit, developed a sensor system thatcaptures a scene with one burst oflaser pulses.

The appropriately named “FlashLiDAR” detector is composed of singlephoton avalanche diodes, or SPADs. Thesolid-state photodetectors are fabricatedin a standard high-voltage CMOSprocess, and placed on the same chip asthe electronics.

The Flash LiDAR has limited range —up to 100 meters — but the integratedtechnology components are simple, withno moving mechanical parts: a solid-state laser diode, optics, and a CMOSsensor with many pixels.

“From a production cost, Flash LiDARis much less expensive than a scanningmirror LiDAR,” said Brockherde.

Unlike standard LiDAR, which focuseson one point at a time, the Fraunhofer

technology illuminates a rectangularshaped area. Distance is then deter-mined by performing time-of-flightmeasurements for an array of pixelssimultaneously.

Fraunhofer’s technology places thedetector and electronics on a singledevice, meaning that the “flashy” devicesare more compact than the bulkierLiDAR systems with rotating mirrorsperched on vehicles like Google’s driver-less car.

“You can't imagine that a BMW isgoing to drive with such a thing on top,”said Brockherde.

The Benefits of Flash LiDARBecause the Flash LiDAR does not

have a rotating mirror, automakers canchoose a desired field of view or angle.A 90-degree option, for example, wouldhelp drivers detect cyclists or pedestri-ans on the sides of vehicles. Similarly,four sensors could be featured on each

Autonomous vehicles, like the early model of Google's self-driving car (shown here), often feature aspinning LiDAR sensor that sits on top of the roof. (Credit: Google)

SPAD sensor chips are implemented in CMOS technology. (Credit: Fraunhofer IMS)

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corner of a car, to provide surroundingcoverage. Brockherde also said the sen-sors could someday be used to performfunctions such as lane departure orparking assistance.

Fraunhofer’s SPAD devices have beentested and prototyped in labs. The teamhas designed various arrays and testchips, investigating different objectreflectivities and illumination condi-tions. The first sensor systems will gointo production in 2018, according toBrockherde.

The sensors are also of interest forother fields, such as medicine, analytics,microscopy, and applications that featurea low light intensity.

With video, radar, and ultrasoundsensors finding a place in today’s cars, and each providing a piece of the autonomous driving puzzle, theFraunhofer lead sees the Flash LiDAR as a valuable complemen-tary component.

“Redundancy in sensors will be neededin autonomous vehicles,” said Brockherde.

“Therefore, this kind of LiDAR will playan important role.”

The Fraunhofer Microelectronic Circuitsand Systems group, based in Duisburg,Germany, is one of 67 Fraunhofer SocietyInstitutes. Fraunhofer, headquartered inMunich, Germany, is an application-orient-ed research organization. For more informa-tion, visit www.fraunhofer.de/en.html.

This article was written by Billy Hurley,Associate Editor, NASA Tech Briefs. To submit comments and questions, email [email protected].

ViDAR Optical Radar Provides New Maritime Search Capability

ViDAR, developed by Sentient VisionSystems in Melbourne Australia,

provides autonomous, real-time, wide-area search capability, optically, fromunmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) ormanned aircraft. ViDAR, which standsfor Visual Detection and Ranging,essentially acts as an optical radar, usinghigh-megapixel video or infrared cam-eras to search the ocean over signifi-cantly greater operational coverageareas than can be achieved with currentoptical sensor approaches.

Searching the ocean with optical sensorsis like looking through a soda straw. Thefield of view (FoV), even from full HD sen-sors, is very limited and only useful formaintaining surveillance over objectsalready found using other technologiessuch as radar. Radar, however, is expensiveand can have limitations for detecting arange of targets which are becoming ofincreasing importance to naval command-ers, such as small rubber boats or fast attackcraft. ViDAR’s optical search is also entirelypassive, making it well suited to covertoperations such as drug interdiction. Andas the disappearance of flight MH370 illus-trated, searching large areas of ocean forsmall objects, such as debris, life rafts, orpeople in the water, is hugely resourceintensive, slow, fatiguing for operators, andcan impact the ability to save lives.

ViDAR consists of one or more com-mercial, off-the-shelf, high-megapixelvideo cameras that continuously scan theocean 180 degrees in front of the aircraft.The video from these cameras isprocessed autonomously on-board the air-craft in real-time. ViDAR’s algorithms ana-lyze the pixels within each frame to detectobjects on the ocean surface, discriminat-ing them from whitecaps or environmen-tal effects such as sun glare, haze, or mist.

ViDAR GUI showing detection snapshots, mapped locations, and video from cued spotter camera.(Credit: Sentient)

ViDAR 5 step configuration for ScanEagle. (Credit: Sentient)

20˚FOV

ViDAR 3 camera configuration for AMSA Challenger 604 search and rescue jet. (Credit: Sentient)

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Over a series of frames, ViDAR learns thecharacteristics of these effects and factorsthem out from object detections.

Rather than attempt to send the fullvideo stream to the operator, for eachdetection ViDAR clips out a small snap-shot image. The still image and its coor-dinates, which are determined from theaircraft’s inertial navigation system, aresent back to the operator, who may be ina ground control station for a UAV or ata mission console onboard the aircraft.

The operator simply reviews theimages and mapped locations on thescreen and selects those of interest forinterrogation. This process automaticallycues the aircraft’s spotter sensor to zoomin and provide investigation of the objectin detail. Whilst this is happening,ViDAR continues to scan the ocean,autonomously sending further detec-tions to the operator.

ViDAR can be configured on a widerange of air platforms and optimized forspecific mission profiles. With the InsituScanEagle small/tactical UAV, size,weight, and power (SWAP) are key con-straints. ViDAR is added to theScanEagle fuselage as a small, modular

slice containing a 9MP camera and alow-power processor board enabling on-board autonomous processing. ViDARis configured to rotate the cameraaround a 180-degree arc in a series ofsteps. Each step is held typically for 10s

as the camera is moved around 5 posi-tions. Gaps between the step FoVs arefilled in by subsequent steps as the air-craft moves forward.

The FoV can be optimized for thetypes of objects being targeted, with a

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Royal Australian Navy team on Christmas Island with ViDAR-equipped ScanEagle. (Credit: RAN)


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20 degree FoV ensuring that a fast boatat 40 knots would be covered across thefull 180 degrees in front of the aircraft.As only the object snapshots and loca-tions are sent to the operator in theground station, there is minimal addi-tional data link load from ViDAR. Onthe ScanEagle, ViDAR provides over 80times the coverage that could beachieved on an equivalent mission withan existing EO sensor and transforms itto an asset that can be used for finding

objects rather than just watching thosealready found.

On larger platforms, such as mannedaircraft or helicopters, ViDAR can be con-figured with 3 or 5 fixed cameras.Cobham SAR Services, for example, aredeploying a 3-camera ViDAR system intothe Challenger 604 jets, which they oper-ate for the Australian Maritime SafetyAuthority’s (AMSA) search and rescueservice. Operating as a complementarysystem to their other aircraft sensors, the

system is optimized to the speed, altitude,and type of objects being searched for.The video from each camera is processedcontinuously by ViDAR, providing real-time alerts to the mission managementsystem operator who can then cue theprimary aircraft video sensor.

Through trials and operational usewith forces and service operators world-wide, ViDAR has demonstrated its abilityto find small objects at great distancesand in a wide range of sea state andweather conditions. The Royal AustralianNavy (RAN) has been deploying ViDARon a ScanEagle for surface search fromChristmas Island and have noted the fargreater coverage it enables over whatcould previously be achieved.

At the Royal Navy UnmannedWarrior exercise in October 2016,ViDAR performed over 55 hours ofoperations, effectively providing per-sistent wide area surveillance, detectionof fast attack craft threats, and trackingof known and unknown vessels throughchoke points. ViDAR autonomouslydetected and tracked targets, such asrubber boats and jet skis, out to 13nm,naval vessels beyond 10nm, and afreighter beyond 30nm. The detectionswere cued to investigate and identifythe targets which were then passed tothe operation control team to provideincreased situational awareness to thecommanders of the naval fleet.

In other trials, including with the USCoast Guard, ViDAR has consistentlydemonstrated its autonomous detec-tion of boats, life rafts, and even peo-ple in the water at far greater distancesthan could be achieved by a sensorwithout ViDAR or a visual search.

Through the innovative use of low-costcommercial cameras combined with low-power embedded video processing,ViDAR provides a game-changing opticalradar capability for wide-area maritimesearch. Increasing search coverage inexcess of 80 times over existing videosensors, ViDAR allows effective primarysearch with smaller UAVs and aircraftwithout radar, dramatically improvingthe cost effectiveness of maritime opera-tions such as search and rescue, mar-itime patrol, anti-piracy, anti-narcotics,and border protection.

This article was written by Stewart Day, General Manager, Sentient Vision Systems (Melbourne, Australia). For more information, contact Mr. Day at [email protected] or visit http://info.hotims.com/65849-202.

18 Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65849-752

TE-cooled Extended Response to 2.6 microns available

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Traditional applications for 2-micronphotodetectors have been largely

dominated by passive remote sensingwhere detectors having bandwidth of evenone megahertz are deemed sufficient. Theonus in such applications is to achieve lowdark current through active cooling. Theadvent of high-power, 2-micron-wave-length lasers have made coherent LiDARsviable for active sensing applications. Sucha system needs photodetectors that canhandle high local oscillator optical powerand have large bandwidth. Through acombination of high coherent gain andsmall integration time, a large signal-to-noise ratio can be achieved. Operation athigh optical power levels reduces the sig-nificance of photodiodes’ dark current. Asa result, uncooled operation at room tem-perature is feasible, simplifying the overallinstrument design.

Lattice-mismatched, uncooled, 2.2-μm wavelength cutoff, InGaAs photodi-odes and balanced photoreceivers withbandwidth up to 25 GHz were devel-oped. The responsivity at 2.05 μm is 1.2A/W, and the 1-dB compression, opti-cal current handling of these photodi-odes is 10 mA at 7V reverse bias. Suchhigh-current-handling capacity allowsthese photodiodes to operate with ahigher DC local oscillator (LO) power,allowing more coherent gain and shot-noise-limited operation. The impulseresponse of these devices shows risetime/fall time of ~15 ps, and full widthhalf maximum of ~20 ps. These high-speed detectors can find utility in sev-eral 2-micron-wavelength applicationsincluding pulsed LiDARs, microwavephotonics, and next-generationtelecommunication links based onphotonic bandgap fibers.

The epitaxial layer structure of thep-i-n photodiode is shown in the fig-ure. The device was grown on a (100)oriented n-doped InP substrate. Thegrowth sequence starts with an n-doped graded buffer layer of InAsyP1-y.The buffer layer is lattice-matched toInAs0.33P0.67 and InP at the top and


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2.2-Micron, Uncooled, InGaAs Photodiodes and BalancedPhotoreceivers up to 25-GHz BandwidthThese photodiodes have applications in LiDAR sensors, telecommunications links, and pulsed laser systems.Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Cross-section of the photodiode’s epitaxial layer structure.

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bottom, respectively. The buffer layercontains compositionally abrupt inter-faces that minimize the propagation oflattice defects into the active layersgrown subsequently. As a result, thedark current and reliability of the pho-todiode are improved. An intrinsicIn0.72Ga0.28As absorption layer isgrown on top of the buffer layer.

Finally, an InAs0.33P0.67 contact layer isgrown to provide the anode for thephotodiodes. It is noteworthy that thelattice constant of the epitaxial layersincreases along the growth direction.The resulting compressive strain pre-vents the epitaxial material from crack-ing. The photodiodes were fabricatedusing standard planar processing steps.

This work was done by Abhay Joshi ofDiscovery Semiconductors Inc. for GoddardSpace Flight Center. NASA is seeking partnersto further develop this technology throughjoint cooperative research and development.For more information about this technologyand to explore opportunities, please contactScott Leonardi at [email protected]. GSC-16888-1

Large-Area, Polarization-Sensitive Bolometer for Multi-Mode OpticsThis type of detector will be used by the PIXIE mission to map the microwave sky in polarization, openinga new window to the earliest moments of the universe.Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland

Measurements of the cosmic micro -wave background are a powerful

probe of the early universe. Part-per-million fluctuations in the intensity of

background trace the initial conditionsof matter and energy shortly after theBig Bang, mapping the large-scalestructure of spacetime. Now, new meas-

urements in linear polarization at sen-sitivities of a few parts per billion canlook behind these initial conditions totest physics at energies a trillion times

Polarization-sensitive bolometer measures linear polarization of the cosmic microwave background. (Left) Prototype detector. The absorber in the cen-tral square fills a small fraction of the optical area, but is opaque to microwaves. (Center) Schematic diagram showing the absorbing wires and sensingthermistors. (Right) Photomicrograph showing absorbing wires and the crystalline silicon end bank.

SiliconFrame

Thermistor

Bond Pad

12.7 mm

Absorber

NASA’s Langley Research Center andScience Applications International

Corporation have developed a method ofprocessing data from Fourier transformspectroscopy (FTS) measurements thatimproves upon existing methods. Thismethod is simpler, more accurate, faster,and less expensive than previous meth-ods. It uses less hardware and can be usedwith all wavelengths.

In conventional measurements, a refer-ence laser signal runs through the device,is guided to a separate detector, and trig-gers capture of the spectral signal. Thisold method restricts usable wavelengthsto less than half the frequency of thelaser. As part of a modification that doesaway with this limitation, a mirror slides

along the device at a constant speed dur-ing the scan. Unavoidable velocity varia-tions require linearization or resamplingwith respect to a known reference forwhich a metrology laser is employed. Thelaser is guided as before, but the signal issent to a different detector where the tim-ing information is stored and used tomathematically correct the velocity of theoriginal signal in post-processing. Theproblem with this approach is that extrahardware, post-processing, and tuningare required, and the process can besomewhat difficult to perform.

Langley’s method digitizes the laser sig-nal in a separate channel along with spec-tra data, which eliminates the hardwarerequired in previous methods. It then

demodulates the laser signal with a syn-thetic quadrature phase detector com-bined with phase tracking to derive theproper slide position for each data point.This method only requires inexpensive24-bit audio digitizers, rather than themore expensive event counters of theprevious method. The new method doesnot require tuning, and high-resolutiondata can be obtained at any wavelength.

NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact The Technology Gateway at [email protected] initiate licensing discussions. Follow this link for more information: http://technology.nasa.gov/patent/TB2016/LAR-TOPS-178.

Fourier Transform Spectrometer SystemLangley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia

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Sensor Division Pyroelectric detectors

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higher than terrestrial accelerators,and perhaps even provide a glimpse ofquantum gravity in action.

Measurements at the part-per-billionlevel are technically challenging. State-of-the art detector technology has pro-gressed to the point where the limitingfactor for instrument sensitivity is shotnoise from photon arrival statistics.Once the detector noise falls below thebackground from photon statisticalfluctuations, further sensitivity gainscan only be realized by collecting addi-tional photons. A common implemen-tation increases the effective detectingarea using an array of individual detec-tors. The resulting kilo-pixel detectorarrays drive instrument complexityand cost. An alternate design usesfewer, but physically larger detectors,each capable of sensing multiplemodes of the incident electromagneticfield. Since the signal increases linear-ly with detector size while the photonnoise only increases as the square root,increasing the detector size increasessensitivity to sky signals without requir-ing large, costly detector arrays.

Scientists and engineers at Goddardhave developed a large-area, polariza-tion-sensitive bolometer for multi-mode optical systems at millimeterthrough sub-millimeter wavelengths(see figure). It consists of a set of 3-μmwide wires of doped crystalline siliconmicromachined from an ion-implant-ed layer and suspended from an un-doped crystalline silicon frame. Theparallel wires absorb light from a sin-gle linear polarization, and transportthe energy to thermistors located inthe supporting end banks. The entiredevice is maintained at temperature0.1 K, near absolute zero, so thatchanges in the intensity of the inci-dent radiation cause correspondingchanges in the temperature of thethermistors, which are read out using acryogenic JFET follower.

A key technical challenge is achiev-ing a large absorbing area while keep-ing the detector time constant short.The absorbing structure is 12.7 mmlong, providing 30 times greaterabsorbing area than previous state-of-the-art bolometers. The time constant

is minimized by replacing the siliconnitride absorber used in previousbolometers with single-crystal silicon.Optical power absorbed in the shallowdoped layer is readily conducted out ofthe absorber by phonons in the under-lying bulk crystalline silicon. Meas -urements on prototype detectors showa time constant of 8 ms, meetingrequirements for micro wave measure-ments. Detectors of this type will beused by the Primordial InflationExplorer (PIXIE) mission to map themicrowave sky in polarization, openinga new window to the earliest momentsof the universe.

This work was done by Alan Kogut,Thomas Stevenson, Peter Nagler, KevinDenis, George Manos, Edward Wollack,and Dale Fixsen of Goddard Space FlightCenter. NASA is seeking partners to furtherdevelop this technology through joint coop-erative research and development. Formore information about this technologyand to explore opportunities, please contactScott Leonardi at [email protected]. GSC-17284-1

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Camera Link to HD-SDI ConverterThe CLT-371 Camera Link Translator from Vivid

Engineering (Shrewsbury, MA) converts Camera Link toHD-SDI, enabling the use of Camera Link cameras with HD-SDI monitors, etc. Camera Linkto HDMI and Camera Link to DVI are also supported via an inexpensive external adapter.

The CLT-371 works with most color and monochrome base-configuration cameras.Output format is either 1920 × 1080 or 1280 × 720. Features include automatic frame rateadaptation, Bayer white balance correction, camera synchronization support, and an RS-232 port for camera control. No special programming is required; configuration isenabled via rear-panel switch settings.

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High-Speed CameraFLIR Systems (Wilsonville, OR) has announced the X6570sc high-

speed infrared camera. The longwave infrared (LWIR) X6570screcords 640 × 512 full frame video at 234 Hz (up to 14,550 Hz with win-dowing), with the rapid integration times needed to analyze high-speedprocesses or monitor fast temperature spikes. Temperature differencesare distinguished down to 20 mK. Connection options include Camera

Link Medium and BNC, for sync and trigger with external equipment. Additionally, theX6570sc offers saved user configurations for efficient transfer between test teams.


Line-Scan CameraChromasens GmbH (Konstanz, Germany/Chesterland,

OH) has introduced the 3DPIXA HR (High Resolution)line-scan camera system. The device is available in twomodels. The 3DPIXA HR 5 μm has a larger field of view(approximately 35 mm) and a scanning speed of up to 30 kHz. The 3DPIXA HR 2 μm cam-era covers a 16-mm field of view. Both options enable inspection in flip chip assembly andother 3D machine vision applications, such as verification of wirebonds and printed circuitboards, and the detection of micron defects on reflective flat or cylindrical metal surfaces.


Near Eye Displays Test SystemA new test system from

Gamma Scientific (San Diego,CA) offers high spatial resolu-tion color and contrast meas-urements for near eye displays(NED), such as virtual reality(VR) and augmented reality(AR) headsets, and heads updisplays (HUD). The Gamma

Scientific NED Measurement System incorporates compactimaging optics which feed both an integrated camera viewingsystem and a low-noise, high-accuracy spectroradiometer.

A LED spot projector (viewed using the camera) enables theoperator to point the optics at a precise position within the dis-play field, and selection of the appropriate aperture (using amotorized wheel) then permits measurements over fields of viewranging from 0.1° to 5°. The system’s graphics generator pro-duces test patterns and color fields to measure luminance, color,contrast, uniformity, spectral transmittance, response time(flicker), transmittance MTF, and left/right eye parallax meas-urements on subregions of displays as small as a single symbol.


Fiber Optic Temperature Sensing SignalConditioner

Micronor (Camarillo, CA)and Optocon AG (Dresden,Germany) have collaboratedto create the FOTEMP1-OEM-MNT, a low-cost, small-form-factor, single-channelsignal conditioner that seam-

lessly integrates Fiber Optic Temperature Sensing into anyindustrial control system, medical instrumentation, or otherOEM design. The standard FOTEMP1-OEM-MNT controllerfeatures include a calibrated measurement range of -40°C to+300°C and built-in USB, RS232, and SPI interfaces.

The FOTEMP1-OEM-MNT sources the broadband light tothe GaAs sensor, and an internal optical spectrum analyzerevaluates the reflected optical signal to determine the corre-sponding absolute temperature. This sensing and interroga-tion method allows for lower cost, greater accuracy (±0.2ºC),widest measurement range (-200°C to +300°C), and fasterresponse compared to other fiber optic sensor techniques,including fluorescence decay and fiber Bragg gratings.



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Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017 23Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65849-757

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Circular Polarizer FilterAmerican Polarizers, Inc.

(API) (Reading, PA) has devel-oped a new circular polarizerfilter with a 50% transmissionlevel. Whereas most circularpolarizers have maximum trans-mission levels of around 42%,the API high-transmission circu-lar polarizers assure that more light is transmitted throughthe filter to the viewer, resulting in a brighter display.

The filters are available in standard sheet sizes from 8 × 10inches up to 18 × 24 inches, as well as custom sizes. To accom-modate requests for specially shaped filters, API utilizes in-house laser cutting and waterjet technology to fabricate circu-lar polarizer filters in custom shapes specified by the cus-tomer. API will also provide the high-transmission circularpolarizers laminated to glass or acrylic. Anti-reflection, anti-glare, and conductive coatings may be specified for the acrylicand glass filters.


Line-Scan Camera Princeton Infrared Technologies, Inc. (Monmouth

Junction, NJ) offers the OEM version of its LineCam12, anindium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) line-scan camera thatoperates from 0.4 to 1.7 μm in the shortwave infrared (SWIR)

and visible spectrum. With USB3Vision™ and Camera Link digitaloutputs, the camera features a1024 × 1 pixel format and 12.5μm pitch. Powered by USB 3.0,the device images SWIR and visi-ble light simultaneously.

The advanced SWIR-InGaAs1024-element linear array images

over 37k lines per second and comes in two models: theLineCam12-12.5-1.7T-OEM (with 250 μm tall pixels for spec-troscopy), and the LineCam12-12.5-1.7M-OEM (with 12.5 μmsquare pixels for machine vision tasks). The OEM versions canbe configured with customized settings, including high tem-perature operation at 70 °C or very cold operating tempera-tures of -40 °C.


100W Picosecond Laser Onefive GmbH (Zurich,

Switzerland) has released thenew Genki – 10 XP picosecondlaser featuring 100W outputpower in a new, compact pack-age. The system is based on theultra-stable Genki seed laser and provides clean pulses shorterthan 10 ps, which is an optimal pulse duration for many micro-machining applications.

To satisfy the increasing demand of picosecond laser work-stations, the Genki – 10 XP has been optimized to provide upto 100W of average power and 300 J pulse energy at the indus-try-standard wavelength of 1064 nm. Wavelength conversionoptions are also available. Pulse repetition rates up to 80 MHzcan be achieved. It also offers burst-mode operation.


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24 Photonics & Imaging Technology, March 2017Free Info at http://info.hotims.com/65849-760


High Resolution CCTV Lenses with Focus LockVX Series Machine Vision Lenses with locking focus, in focal lengths

from 8mm to 75mm. Available in 2/3 or larger format coverage and compatible with most modern CMOS sensors. In stock.

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Beam Expanders Optical Surfaces Ltd. (Surrey, UK) is

currently manufacturing high-perfor-mance beam expanders for theExtreme Light Infrastructure forNuclear Physics (ELI-NP) project todevelop the world’s most powerfullaser system. Offering an unprecedent-ed level of power in ultrashort pulses,

the two new 10 petawatt (1,000,000,000,000,000) high-intensi-ty lasers will be delivered to the Horia Hulubei NationalInstitute of Physics & Nuclear Engineering (IFIN-HH) inMagurele, Romania.

Because of its international reputation for supplying highpower laser optics, Optical Surfaces Ltd. was selected to manu-facture and supply 4 × 580 mm aperture and 6 × 200 mm aper-ture laser beam expanders for the ELI-NP project.


Smart CamerasThe new EyeCheck 5xxx

smart camera series fromEVT Eye Vision Technology(Karlsruhe, Germany) isavailable with the EyeVisionimage processing software oras an OEM version. Bothcamera options are Linux (Ubuntu) smart cameras, equippedwith a quad-core Intel ATOM CPU. The EyeCheck 5xxx seriesalso offers 4 GByte DRAM and 64 GByte storage, as well as aHDMI display port. The products contain CCD and CMOSsensors with resolutions between 0.3 and 12 Megapixels. ALED ring light can be dismounted if necessary, and the cam-era has two programmable, constant LED drivers. TheEyeCheck smart camera provides image evaluation for taskssuch as pattern matching, code reading (bar code, DMC, QR),OCR/ OCV, object detection, measurement technology, andsurface inspection.


Ultra-Small CMOS CameraToshiba Imaging Systems Division (Irvine, CA) has released

the IK-CT2, an ultra-small, chip-on-tip video camera systemthat can be integrated into medical endoscopes and industrialinspection systems. The 0.7 × 0.7 mm backside-illuminated

CMOS sensor features 220 × 220pixels and an integrated 120-degreefield-of-view glass lens. The IK-CT2features 12-channel color matrixadjustment, freeze frame, and fiveuser-programmable settings files.Remote control is possible throughRS-232. The new system includesthe CMOS sensor assembly (whichfits a 1.0-mm diameter tip), 120-degree field-of-view lens (with a

focal range of 3 mm to 50 mm), 3.5-meter sensor cable, inter-face board, and camera control unit (CCU). The CCU deliverscolor accuracy and contrast at 59.94 Hz progressive scan, usingDVI-D and USB 2.0 outputs.


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Laser Interferometer Surface Isolation Source4D Technology Corporation

(Tucson, AZ) has introducedthe adjustable Surface IsolationSource (SIS) for its AccuFizFizeau laser interferometers.Plane-parallel optics are trans-parent components with paral-lel faces, or optical systems withtwo or more parallel surfaces. Measuring plane-parallel opticswith a laser interferometer can be challenging as the parallelsurfaces all contribute interference fringes.

The Surface Isolation Source is an optional, external lasersource for 4D Technology AccuFiz Fizeau interferometers. Thefiber coupled source excludes all but the surface of interest,making it straightforward to measure flat, transparent opticswith physical thickness as thin as 200 microns. In a single setupboth the front and back surfaces of an optic can be measured,without repositioning.

Transmitted wavefront error, homogeneity, and opticalthickness can then be obtained from a combination of meas-urements. The adjustable path match mechanism allows theoperator to quickly select and optimize fringe modulation forany surface that is within a 20 millimeter measurement zonecentered at 100 mm in front of the aperture.


Laser Patterning SoftwareLinPerf™, short for Linear Perforation, is a new feature of

the LASERDYNE S94P software from Prima Power Laserdyne(Champlin, MN). It provides an easy way to create programsthat produce linear patterns of laser processed features on flatsurfaces. The flat surfaces may be oriented in any plane acces-sible by the laser beam based on the number of axes and con-figuration of a LASERDYNE laser processing system.

LinPerf is designed to take the hard work out of creating pat-terns with a laser system. Users provide information about thepattern such as holespacing, orientation ofthe pattern, numberof passes required toproduce the holes,laser conditions, typeof assist gas, and holediameter or featureshape in the S94Pgraphical interface.The S94P dialog box also displays calculated parametersincluding linear speed, hole elongation, and an estimate ofrun time for PosiPulse and MultiPulse modes. Calculatedparameters are automatically updated when any inputs arechanged.


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HexGen™ Hexapods by AerotechThe next-generation in 6 degree-of-freedom positioning

HexGen™ hexapods are ideal for large payload, high-speed, ultra-precise positioning. The HEX500-350HL provides unmatched positioning accuracy (±0.5 µm linear, ±2.5 µrad angular) and positioning resolution (20 nm linear, 0.2 µrad angular). Simply stated, HexGen hexapods are

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