InGaAs shortwave infrared enables imaging of invisible lasers

• Published in: Military & aerospace electronics Vol. 16; no. 1; pp. 11 - 13
• Main Author: Ettenberg, Martin H
• Format: Magazine Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.01.2005
• ISSN: 1046-9079

The expansion of military efforts has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of electrooptic (EO) systems installed on military hardware. Electro-optic imaging systems are now on everything from aircraft carriers to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to individual soldiers' rifles and helmets. These EO systems not only enable the users to "see" their surrounding environment in the day or night, in low-light or no-light conditions, but also to get range information to the target and aim laser-guided weapons. The use of EO systems helps protect the soldier by enabling him to view the battlefield from a relatively safe distance or position while gaining critical information about the scene. Many new EO systems have thermal cameras as their major imaging component. These cameras detect radiation of longer wavelengths than 3 microns, in either the midwave infrared (MWIR: 3 to 5 microns) or longwave infrared (LWIR: 8 to 12 microns), enabling the war fighter to see heat from people, buildings, or vehicles.