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Full-Text Articles in Optics

Optical-Fiber Preamplifiers For Ladar Detection And Associated Measurements For Improving The Signal-To-Noise Ratio, Michael S. Salisbury, Paul F. Mcmanamon, Bradley D. Duncan Dec 1994

Optical-Fiber Preamplifiers For Ladar Detection And Associated Measurements For Improving The Signal-To-Noise Ratio, Michael S. Salisbury, Paul F. Mcmanamon, Bradley D. Duncan

Electro-Optics and Photonics Faculty Publications

In an effort to increase achievable postdetection signal-tonoise ratios (SNRs) of continuous-wave, 1-gm all-solid-state ladar systems, a prototype rare-earth-doped optical-fiber amplifier has been included in the optical return signal path of both a heterodyne and a directdetection ladar system. We provide numerical predictions for SNR increases according to our previously developed theory. We also detail our experimental efforts and provide the results of SNR measurements for four distinct cases: direct ladar detection with and without a fiber amplifier, and heterodyne ladar detection with and without a fiber amplifier. Experimentally measured increases in SNRs for ladar systems incorporating an optical-fiber amplifier …


Frame Selection Performance Limits For Statistical Image Reconstruction Of Adaptive Optics Compensated Images, Stephen D. Ford Dec 1994

Frame Selection Performance Limits For Statistical Image Reconstruction Of Adaptive Optics Compensated Images, Stephen D. Ford

Theses and Dissertations

The U.S. Air Force uses adaptive optics systems to collect images of extended objects beyond the atmosphere. These systems use wavefront sensors and deformable mirrors to compensate for atmospheric turbulence induced aberrations. Adaptive optics greatly enhance image quality; however, wavefront aberrations are not completely eliminated. Therefore, post-detection processing techniques are employed to further improve the compensated images. Typically, many short exposure images are collected, recentered to compensate for tilt, and then averaged to overcome randomness in the images and improve signal-to-noise ratio. Experience shows that some short exposure images in a data set are better than others. Frame selection exploits …


Flow Visualization Of A Turbulent Shear Flow Using An Optical Wavefront Sensor, Daniel W. Jewell Dec 1994

Flow Visualization Of A Turbulent Shear Flow Using An Optical Wavefront Sensor, Daniel W. Jewell

Theses and Dissertations

The research reported here investigated the use of a shearing interferometer (SI) wavefront sensor to determine the effects of shear-layer turbulence on an optical wavefront. A collimated helium-neon laser beam was propagated through a plane shear-layer produced by mixing helium and nitrogen at different velocities. Since the gases have different indices of refraction, the optical wavefront was distorted by different amounts by each gas. The SI measured the wavefront slope across the sampled area of the wavefront. The shear-layer was viewed from two orthogonal directions. This document contains shadow graphs, interference patterns imaged by each of the SI's six cameras, …


Direct Relation Between Fresnel's Interface Reflection Coefficients For The Parallel And Perpendicular Polarizations: Erratum 2, R. M.A. Azzam Jul 1994

Direct Relation Between Fresnel's Interface Reflection Coefficients For The Parallel And Perpendicular Polarizations: Erratum 2, R. M.A. Azzam

Electrical Engineering Faculty Publications

The record is set straight concerning two equations that determine the reflection phase shifts at a single interface from the intensity reflectances forp- and s-polarized light at one angle of incidence. These equations appeared previously in this journal [J. Opt. Soc. Am. 69, 1007 (1979); erratum, J. Opt. Soc. Am. 70, 261 (1980)].


A Diffraction-Based Model Of Anisoplanatism Effects In Adaptive Optic Systems, Steven E. Troxel Jun 1994

A Diffraction-Based Model Of Anisoplanatism Effects In Adaptive Optic Systems, Steven E. Troxel

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a new model for computing the angle dependent performance measures of an adaptive-optics system. By incorporating diffraction caused by the index-of-refraction variations of the atmosphere, the phase and amplitude fluctuations of the propagating wave are computed. New theory is presented, that uses the diffraction-based propagation model to yield optical transfer function (OTF) expressions that are more accurate as compared to current theory that neglects diffraction. An evaluation method for calculating the OTF is presented that utilizes a layered atmospheric model and normalized OTF expressions. The diffraction model is also used to present the first OTF signal-to-noise ratio …


The Excitation Mechanism Of Praseodymium-Doped Semiconductors, Paul L. Thee Jun 1994

The Excitation Mechanism Of Praseodymium-Doped Semiconductors, Paul L. Thee

Theses and Dissertations

This study on praseodymium Pr luminescence in AlxGa1-xAs was conducted to enhance the understanding of the excitation mechanism. Pr was implanted at 390 keV with doses from 5 x 1012 to 5 x 1013 sq cm into AlxGa1-xAs x0.0 to 0.50 wafers which were annealed using the rapid thermal annealing RTA method. Low temperature photoluminescence PL was conducted using an Ar-ion laser and Ge detector. PL emissions of Pr from all hosts include peaks near 1.3 and 1.6 µm which are assigned to the intra-4f transitions of 1G4 yielding 3H5 …


Spatio-Temporal Pattern Recognition Using Hidden Markov Models, Kenneth H. Fielding Jun 1994

Spatio-Temporal Pattern Recognition Using Hidden Markov Models, Kenneth H. Fielding

Theses and Dissertations

A new spatio-temporal method for identifying 3D objects found in 2D image sequences is presented. The Hidden Markov Model technique is used as a spatio-temporal classification algorithm to identify 3D objects by the temporal changes in observed shape features. A new information theoretic argument is developed that proves identifying objects based on image sequences can lead to higher classification accuracies than single look methods. A new distance measure is proposed that analyzes the performance of Hidden Markov Models in a multi-class pattern recognition problem. A three class problem identifying moving light display objects provides experimental verification of the sequence processing …


Rank Conditioned Rank Selection Filters For Signal Restoration, Russell C. Hardie, Kenneth E. Barner Mar 1994

Rank Conditioned Rank Selection Filters For Signal Restoration, Russell C. Hardie, Kenneth E. Barner

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

A class of nonlinear filters called rank conditioned rank selection (RCRS) filters is developed and analyzed in this paper. The RCRS filters are developed within the general framework of rank selection(RS) filters, which are filters constrained to output an order statistic from the observation set. Many previously proposed rank order based filters can be formulated as RS filters. The only difference between such filters is in the information used in deciding which order statistic to output. The information used by RCRS filters is the ranks of selected input samples, hence the name rank conditioned rank selection filters. The number of …


Feasibility Analysis For Predicting A Kinetic Kill Zone For Aircraft Homing Missile Defense, Mark E. Ennis Mar 1994

Feasibility Analysis For Predicting A Kinetic Kill Zone For Aircraft Homing Missile Defense, Mark E. Ennis

Theses and Dissertations

An extended Kalman filter is used to predict a kinetic kill zone for use in aircraft self defense versus homing missiles. The analysis is limited to an in-the-plane analysis and focuses on finding the model parameters which have the largest impact on the predicted kill zone. No attempt is made to optimize the design of the filter model itself. The analysis computes the kill zone relative to an assumed aircraft trajectory using strictly filter computed statistics. No Monte-Carlo simulations are used throughout the thesis. The filter assumed to be on the evading aircraft, uses an onboard laser radar (ladar) to …


A Fringe Center Detection Technique Based On A Sub-Pixel Resolution, And Its Applications Using Sinusoidal Gratings, Ming Chang, Paul P. Lin, Wen Chih Tai Jan 1994

A Fringe Center Detection Technique Based On A Sub-Pixel Resolution, And Its Applications Using Sinusoidal Gratings, Ming Chang, Paul P. Lin, Wen Chih Tai

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications

A common problem in optical profilometry is the accuracy in locating fringe centers. This paper presents an accurate fringe center detection technique based on sub-pixel resolution using the fringe projection method. An optimum reconstruction filter is developed which has low sensitivity to noise. In fringe center detection, computer simulation results of using one-pixel and sub-pixel resolutions are compared. The detection technique is then applied to radius measurement of cylindrical objects and surface profile measurement of diffuse objects. The experimental results thus obtained through the proposed optimum reconstruction filter show significant improvement in measurement accuracy.


Development Of Strength Theories For Random Fiber Composites, Victor Giurgiutiu Jan 1994

Development Of Strength Theories For Random Fiber Composites, Victor Giurgiutiu

Faculty Publications

A ressessment of existing theories for calculating the strength of random and quasi-random fiber composites is presented. Fundamental aspects regarding the physical model, macromechanics analysis, fiber distribution functions, generalized failure criterion, and progressive versus sudden failure models are covered first. Progressive ductile failure, progressive brittle failure, and sudden brittle failure are treated in detail. In each case, the original theory is briefly reviewed, and then its extensions accompanied by numerical examples are presented. Several limitations originally imposed by Hahn, such as the monotonically nonincreasing requirement on the failure strain curve, are lifted and the mathematical formulations are generalized. Some common …