Progress in Standoff Surface Contaminant Detector Platform
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Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 Progress in Standoff Surface Contaminant Detector Platform Julia R. Dupuis, Jay Giblin, John Dixon, Joel Hensley, David Mansur, and William J. Marinelli Physical Sciences Inc. 20 New England Business Center, Andover, MA 01810 [email protected] SPIE Defense and Security Micro- and Nanotechnology Sensors, Systems, and Applications IX April 13, 2017 Physical Sciences Inc. 20 New England Business Center Andover, MA 01810 Outline Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -1 Technology overview – Capability and program overview – QCL surface contaminant detector platform concept Design Summary – Transmitter/receiver – QCL illuminator – Speckle mitigation techniques Functional Test Results Conclusions Outline Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -2 Technology overview – Capability and program overview – QCL surface contaminant detector platform concept Design Summary – Transmitter/receiver – QCL illuminator – Speckle mitigation techniques Functional Test Results Conclusions Capability Overview Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -3 LWIR QCL based surface contaminant detector platform developed under IARPA’s SILMARILS program Platform key attributes: – Employs LWIR reflectance spectroscopy at standoff (10s of m) ranges – Applicable to optically thick and thin materials including solid and liquid CWAs, TICs, TIMs, and explosives – Applicable to gas detection via topographic back scatter LIDAR – Speckle mitigated, detector noise limited performance enabling detection, discrimination regardless of surface coverage morphology 5 or 30 m and underlying substrate LWIR QCLs used to actively probe fundamental absorption features with highest spectral brightness available Requirements for Key Performance Parameters Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -4 KPPs based on published program specifications Target and background library spans wide range of applications/missions Minimum detectable surface loading is ~ 10 to 100x lower than most standoff surface detection system requirements. QCL Surface Contaminant Detector Concept Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -5 Monostatic, integrated transmitter/receiver in a monolithic package including: – A broadband QCL array transmitter proving continuous illumination over 900-1400 cm-1 used for flying spot illumination, – An SHS snap shot receiver, – A common transmitter/receiver foreoptic, – A galvanometer mirror scanner located at a pupil plane to scan the coaligned illumination and receiver internal field of view (IFOV), – Laser spectral power normalization, An SNR ≥ 1000 at all wavelengths using active speckle reduction, A reflective calibration target for illumination/collection spatial profile normalization, A new variant of ACE featuring Spectral cube acquired by class-based screening. scanning QCL spot/SHS IFOV Derived Key Performance Parameters Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -6 System Parameter Value Spectral range based on Spectral range 950-1400 cm-1 targets Spectral resolution 8 cm-1 NEr derived from Noise equivalent reflectivity 0.1% discriminant spectral FOR 1.9° modulation imparted by IFOV 667 rad optically thin film: Response time 33 ms (5 m); 15 s (30 m) 0.7 ) 3.5E+04 푨푺푪 = 휶푺푪 ∙ ퟐ ∙ 풕푺푪 = ퟎ. ퟎퟎퟏ m CWA absorption c / ( 3.0E+04 coefficients (aSC) 0.6 t ) t n e e i where s c f 2.5E+04 0.5 i f f f O e GA (Tabun) ( GA (Tabun) o 푺푪 0.4 GB (Sarin) 2.0E+04 GB (Sarin) −ퟕ e GD (Soman) C GD (Soman) 풕 = = ퟏퟎ 풄풎 c 푺푪 GF (Cyclosarin) n GF (Cyclosarin) 흆푺푪 n o i 1.5E+04 VX a 0.3 VX t t Vx (EA1699) Vx (EA1699) p c HD r HD e o l f 1.0E+04 0.2 s e b for A R 0.1 t 5.0E+03 e f f ퟐ 0 O 0.0E+00 푺푪 = ퟎ. ퟏ 흁품/풄풎 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 Wavenumber Wavenumber (a) (b) L-3347 Outline Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -7 Technology overview – Capability and program overview – QCL surface contaminant detector platform concept Design Summary – Transmitter/receiver – QCL illuminator – Speckle mitigation techniques Functional Test Results Conclusions Transmitter/Receiver Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -8 Optical design enables Transmitter/ achievement of all KPPs Receiver Optical Minimum detectable Layout surface coverage achieved via: – Etendue set by external measurement geometry, – Spatial diversity set by fore optics diameter and IFOV achieving sufficient speckle reduction Aerial coverage rate achieved via high speed scanning and interferogram acquisition. Off-axis Radiometric Efficiency QCL Illuminator Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -9 Illuminator comprised of 5 Fabry-Perot, multimode QCLs in a common thermal assembly – QCLs are collimated and dichroically combined with OTS filters Dichroic Configuration – > 90% radiometric efficiency over 900-1400 spectral range Each QCL driven with dedicated pulser board – Pulse DC and drive current individually addressable to achieve optimal spectral shape – All pulsers triggered with common, low frequency enable pulse train to synchronize on/off interferogram acquisition Photo of QCL Illuminator Solid model of QCL Illuminator Assembly Performance Projections Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -10 NESR vs. Range for Dt = 3 ms SNR with respect to discriminant signal: 푁푠푢푟푓푎푐푒 ∙ 퐴푆퐶 푆푁푅 = = 푢푛푖푡푙푒푠푠 푁퐸푆푅 where 푆푃퐷표 ∙ 휌푠푢푟푓푎푐푒 푊 푁푠푢푟푓푎푐푒= = 2 −1 퐴푠푝표푡 ∙ 휋 푐푚 ∙ 푠푡푒푟 ∙ 푐푚 SNR vs. QCL SPD for r = 0.15 surface Etendue is limited by measurement geometry → pixel binning only adds detector noise 10 mW/cm-1 SPD achieves SNR WRT discriminant signal > 10. Custom QCL Development Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -11 Five QCL designs are being Custom QCL Design Details developed by Alpes Lasers Based on proven LM InGaAs/AlInAs designs Key features: – Double stacks to increase spectral width Electroluminescence Spectra – Range of device lengths and ridge widths to increase power and laser mode number – Epi down mounting to increase power via colder junction temperature – HR/AR coatings on back/front facets to increase power Electroluminescence spectra demonstrates good coverage of 900-1400 cm-1 spectral range Speckle Reduction Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -12 NEr achieved through speckle reduction: Predicted Contrast vs. QCL Spot – Spatial diversity reduces speckle through Size at 30 m averaging of speckle cells contained in IFOV – Temporal diversity reduces speckle through time averaging of independent speckle patterns – Additional diversity required: • Wavelength and angular diversities are incompatible with CONOP • Diversity balance provided by laser modes Total contrast: Ctotal = CM/K·Cmodes Outline Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -13 Technology overview – Capability and program overview – QCL surface contaminant detector platform concept Design Summary – Transmitter/receiver – QCL illuminator – Speckle mitigation techniques Functional Test Results Conclusions Stock QCL Functional Testing: Spectral Range and SPD Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -14 Objective: Baseline stock QCLs against KPPs for spectral range, SPD, and speckle Spectral range and SPD takeaways: – Continuous broadband spectra achieved by tuning drive conditions – 6 mm QCL produces > 10 mW/cm-1 (SPD KPP) at 20C – 2x increase was measured from 3 to 6 mm cavity length → validates power scaling – Single stack achieves ~ 60 cm-1 spectral width → custom double stack QCL projected to achieve > 120 cm-1 PSD vs. Optical Frequency at 20C Operating Temperature and 50% DC for 3 (left) and 6 mm (right) Stock QCL Functional Testing: Speckle Reduction: Spatial Diversity Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -15 Objective: Quantify speckle contrast using microbolometer camera for: – Three spatial diversities: 6, 10, and 200 – Two spectral widths: < 1 cm-1 and > 60 cm-1 High M achieved via spinning diffuser Key findings: – Contrast scales with K-0.5 as expected – Wavelength diversity does not impact speckle – Pulsed operation results in significantly lower (better) contrast than predicted by CM/K Measured Contrast vs. Spectral Width Spot cross sections for K = 6 (top) and 200 (bottom) Stock QCL Functional Testing: Speckle Reduction: Temporal Diversity Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -16 Objective: Determine requisite motion of diffuser to generate independent speckle patterns and sufficiently high M Speckle contrast measured as a function of diffuser relative motion – Contrast calculated for cumulative frame averages – Diffuser motion quantified directly from IR image Results show speckle decorrelates on the scale of surface (Infragold) correlation length, not receiver IFOV → results support flying spot approach to achieve high M Frame Averaged Speckle Contrast vs. Frame Averaged QCL Spot Target Correlation Areas and vs. IFOVs Outline Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -17 Technology overview – Capability and program overview – QCL surface contaminant detector platform concept Design Summary – Transmitter/receiver – QCL illuminator – Speckle mitigation techniques Functional Test Results Conclusions Conclusions Physical Sciences Inc. VG-2017-37 -18 A QCL-based standoff surface contaminant detector with application to solid, liquid, and gases for range of targets is being developed – Sensor will resolve 0.1% reflectivity modulation enabling 0.1 g/cm2 LOD at 30 m standoff – LOD achieved through speckle reduction employing spatial, temporal, and laser mode diversities. Functional testing has demonstrated: – Sufficiently spectrally bright QCLs are available, however, custom development will produce devices to cover 900-1400 cm-1 with no gaps. – Requisite device spectral width and SPD appear achievable with double stack design based