Project Title:
Tunable, Liquid-Crystal Filters for Remote Sensing Applications
08.09-2627
910530
Tunable, Liquid-Crystal Filters for Remote Sensing Applications
Cambridge Research & Instrumentation, Inc.
21 Erie Street
Cambridge
MA
02139
P.
Miller
617-491-2627
JPL
NAS7-1170
148
08.09-2627
910530
Abstract:
Tunable, Liquid-Crystal Filters for Remote Sensing Applications
Recent advances in liquid-crystal technology have enabled construction of tunable,
birefringent filters with bandwidths between 1 nm and 26 nm. The center wavelength
of these filters can be selected electronically in a few milliseconds with no moving
parts. These liquid-crystal tunable filters (LCTF's), together with existing CCD
detectors, make possible a new generation of lightweight, rugged, high-resolution
imaging spectrophotometers. Such instruments would be interesting for remote sensing
applications on a variety of aircraft and satellite platforms. Important advantages
exist in the aperture, image stability, power consumption, size, weight, and absence
of high-drive frequencies, compared with current instruments used or considered for
multispectral scene analysis. Evaluation of these filters for NASA remote-sensing
applications will be conducted. A filter will be built, and measurements and literature
studies will be carried out to characterize the spatial and spectral imaging quality,
thermal sensitivity, achievable spectral range, and level of space hardening for
comparison with NASA requirements.
Commercial applications would apply to microscopy, medical imaging, astronomy, and
stage lighting.
liquid crystal, filters, spectrometers