High speed short wave infrared (SWIR) imaging and range gating cameras

Imaging in the Short Wave Infrared (SWIR) provides unique surveillance capabilities, both with passive illumination from the night glow in the atmosphere or with active illumination from covert LED or eye-safe lasers. Spectral effects specific to the 0.9 to 1.7 um wavelength range reveal camouflage and chemical signatures of ordinance. The longer wavelength range also improves image resolution over visible cameras in foggy or dusty environments. Increased military interest in cameras that image all laser range finders and target designators on the battlefield has driven development of a new class of uncooled InGaAs cameras with higher resolution and larger field of view than previously available. Current and upcoming needs include: imaging in all lighting conditions, from direct sunlight to partial starlight while using minimal power; range gating the camera to image through obscurants or beyond unimportant objects; and high speed capture of muzzle flare, projectile tracking, guide star and communications laser-beam tracking and wavefront correction. This paper will present images from new COTS cameras now available to address these needs and discuss the technology roadmap for further improvements.