Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / Different sensors exploit different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum; therefore, a multi-sensor image fusion system can take full advantage of the complementary capabilities of individual sensors in the suit; to produce information that cannot be obtained by viewing the images separately. In this thesis, a framework for the multiresolution fusion of the night vision devices and thermal infrared imagery is presented. It encompasses a wavelet-based approach that supports both pixel-level and region-based fusion, and aims to maximize scene content by incorporating spectral information from both the source images. In pixel-level fusion, source images are decomposed into different scales, and salient directional features are extracted and selectively fused together by comparing the corresponding wavelet coefficients. To increase the degree of subject relevance in the fusion process, a region-based approach which uses a multiresolution segmentation algorithm to partition the image domain at different scales is proposed. The region's characteristics are then determined and used to guide the fusion process. The experimental results obtained demonstrate the feasibility of the approach. Potential applications of this development include improvements in night piloting (navigation and target discrimination), law enforcement etc. / Civilian, Republic of Singapore

Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited / In this thesis, the performance of a step quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP), which was designed to detect a laser spot at 1.05 m æ and IR radiation between 9.5 m æ to 10.5 m æ, was evaluated. In the far infrared (FIR), the maximum responsivity of the test detector at 10 K was measured at 1.02 A/W with a peak wavelength of 10.3 æm under a negative bias of 0.83 V. The D* at background limited infrared performance (BLIP) was measured at 9 8.0 10 cm Hz /W with 180o field of view. The BLIP temperature was found to be about 55 K. In addition, the FIR detection wavelength found shift with the amount of bias across the device. The amount of shift observed was 0.21 meV/KVcm-1 which is due to linear Stark effect associated with the step quantum well. The quantum well infrared detectors made of square quantum wells found to have an order of magnitude lower Stark shift originated from second order effects. This suggests that the step well infrared detector can have applications in tunable wavelength infrared detectors. / Major, Republic of Singapore Navy

Utilizando o método de crescimento de cristais por solução aquosa preparamos grandes monocristais de sulfato de triglicina (TGS). Os resultados obtidos na caracterização dos monocristais garantiram uma alta qualidade óptica e estrutural, pré-requisitos básicos para o futuro desenvolvimento de detetores de radiação infravermelha. Também, são apresentados os resultados de responsividade de voltagem, tempo de resposta e resposta espectral de um protótipo de detetor construído com os monocristais. Considerações gerais sobre a teoria de crescimento de cristais são apresentadas juntamente com uma revisão bibliográfica dos principais resultados sobre a dependência da velocidade linear de crescimento com a supersaturação relativa para três direções cristalográficas. Além disso, uma abordagem sobre a velocidade média de crescimento de um dos experimentos é efetuada para exemplificar um dos mecanismos que atuam no crescimento por solução. Devido ao interesse do DFCM (Departamento de Física e Ciência dos Materiais) e de alguns grupos de pesquisa do país foram crescidos outros monocristais, como dihidrogênio fosfato de potássio (KDP) e de TGS dopados. / We prepared large single crystals of triglycine sulphate (TGS) using method of crystal growth from aqueous solution. Results obtained by the characterization of single crystals showed a high optical and structural quality, basic properties for the future development of infrared radiation detectores. Voltage responsivity, time and espectral responses of a detector prototype built with single crystals are presented. General considerations about crystal growth theory are presented with bibliographical review of principal result on dependence of the linear growth rate with relative supersaturation respecting three crystallographical directions. An approach on growth rate is realized with one of the experiments, showing one of the mechanisms acting in the growing from solution. Due to DFCM (Departamento de Física e Ciência dos Materiais) and some research groups in country interests another single crystals were growed, potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and toped TGS.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1980. / MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ENGINEERING. / Includes bibliographical references. / by Daniel Dean Kessler. / M.S.

Dans le but d'atteindre une température de fonctionnement élevée tout en conservant de fortes exigences sur les performances des photodétecteurs infrarouges, la pression sur la qualité du matériau HgCdTe augmente de plus en plus. En particulier, une attention spéciale est maintenant portée aux contraintes et à leur relaxation des photodiodes HgCdTe. Bien que de récentes études se soient concentrées sur la déformation induite par un désaccord paramétrique sur des surfaces de la taille d'un plaque, aucune étude expérimentale n'a été capable de résoudre la déformation au niveau micrométrique.La limite de résolution spatiale millimétrique typique de la diffraction standard peut être dépassée en utilisant un faisceau synchrotron de rayons X focalisés. En effet, en effectuant des mesures de microdiffraction Laue, nous pouvons cartographier, avec une résolution submicronique, à la fois la contrainte déviatorique locale et l'orientation de la maille. Cette thèse se concentre sur l'analyse de tranchées gravées à l'intérieur des couches de HgCdTe avec des variations sur les étapes de passivation et de recuit. Nous sommes en mesure d'étudier une cartographie précise autour de la gravure et d'apprécier les effets locaux des étapes de traitement. La cartographie de déplacement des pics de diffraction montre la courbure des plans cristallins autour des tranchées gravées, avec une forte dépendance aux étapes technologiques.Ensuite, nous nous concentrons sur la position relative de tous les pics, qui sont mesurés simultanément. En supposant une contrainte bi-axiale entre la couche et le substrat, la pente du déplacement relatif du pic en fonction de leur position fournit directement la valeur de contrainte subie par le matériau. Ainsi, nous mesurons la déformation à travers l'ensemble de l'échantillon avec une précision de 3.10-5 et la cartographions avec une précision de position submicronique.Enfin, nous montrons comment l'utilisation d'un système de flexion 3 points conduit à la détermination expérimentale du seuil de plasticité dans les structures épitaxiées HgCdTe / CdZnTe ainsi qu'à la distribution spatiale de la contrainte appliquée. La dynamique du régime élastique au régime plastique et le comportement de la couche une fois que le seuil plastique est atteint sont étudiés. De plus, l'étape de gravure crée des bords abrupts à l'intérieur de la couche, conduisant à une modification du champ de contrainte en la concentrant sur les angles de la tranchée. / Within the general goal of reaching high operating temperature while maintaining strong requirements on infrared photodetector performances, the pressure on HgCdTe material quality is increasingly growing. In particular, careful attention is now being paid to stress and stress relaxation within HgCdTe photodiodes. While recent studies have focused on the lattice mismatch induced strain over areas in the order of the wafer, no experimental investigation has been able to resolve the strain at the micrometer level.The typical millimetric spatial resolution limit of standard diffraction can be overtaken using a focused synchrotron X-ray white beam. Indeed, by performing Laue microdiffraction measurements, we can map with a sub-micrometer resolution both the local deviatoric strain and lattice orientation. This thesis focuses on the analysis of etched trenches inside HgCdTe layers with variations on passivation and annealing steps. We are able to investigate a precise mapping around the etching and appreciate the local effects of the processing steps. Diffraction peak displacement mapping evidences bending of the crystal planes around etched trenches, with strong dependence upon the processing steps.Then, we focus on the relative position of all the peaks which are measured simultaneously. Assuming a bi-axial strain between layer and substrate, the slope of the peak relative displacement as a function of their position directly provides the strain value undergone by the material. Thus, we measure the strain through the entire sample with a precision of 3.10-5 and map it with a sub-micronic position precision.Finally, we show how the use of a three point calibrated bending set-up leads to the experimental determination of the plasticity threshold in HgCdTe/CdZnTe epitaxial structures together with the spatial distribution of the applied strain. The dynamics from elastic to plastic regime and the layer behavior once the plastic threshold is reached are investigated. Furthermore, the etching step creates abrupt edges inside the layer, leading to a modification of the strain field by concentrating it on the angles of the trench.

Utilizando o método de crescimento de cristais por solução aquosa preparamos grandes monocristais de sulfato de triglicina (TGS). Os resultados obtidos na caracterização dos monocristais garantiram uma alta qualidade óptica e estrutural, pré-requisitos básicos para o futuro desenvolvimento de detetores de radiação infravermelha. Também, são apresentados os resultados de responsividade de voltagem, tempo de resposta e resposta espectral de um protótipo de detetor construído com os monocristais. Considerações gerais sobre a teoria de crescimento de cristais são apresentadas juntamente com uma revisão bibliográfica dos principais resultados sobre a dependência da velocidade linear de crescimento com a supersaturação relativa para três direções cristalográficas. Além disso, uma abordagem sobre a velocidade média de crescimento de um dos experimentos é efetuada para exemplificar um dos mecanismos que atuam no crescimento por solução. Devido ao interesse do DFCM (Departamento de Física e Ciência dos Materiais) e de alguns grupos de pesquisa do país foram crescidos outros monocristais, como dihidrogênio fosfato de potássio (KDP) e de TGS dopados. / We prepared large single crystals of triglycine sulphate (TGS) using method of crystal growth from aqueous solution. Results obtained by the characterization of single crystals showed a high optical and structural quality, basic properties for the future development of infrared radiation detectores. Voltage responsivity, time and espectral responses of a detector prototype built with single crystals are presented. General considerations about crystal growth theory are presented with bibliographical review of principal result on dependence of the linear growth rate with relative supersaturation respecting three crystallographical directions. An approach on growth rate is realized with one of the experiments, showing one of the mechanisms acting in the growing from solution. Due to DFCM (Departamento de Física e Ciência dos Materiais) and some research groups in country interests another single crystals were growed, potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) and toped TGS.

Pulsed terahertz (THz) systems are an emergent technology, finding diverse applications as they approach maturity. From their birth in the late 1980's to the wealth of alternate sources and imaging modalities now available, the rise has been fuelled by the expectation that this will prove a world changing technology. This Thesis takes an application focused approach and seeks to provide enabling systems and algorithms for the development of functional imaging systems with broad potential application in security inspection, non-destructive testing and biomedical imaging. Three dimensional pulsed THz imaging systems were first introduced in 1996 using a reflection-mode ultrasound-like configuration. This Thesis builds upon this former work by focusing on transmission mode tomography systems using pulsed THz radiation. Several novel 3D imaging modalities are introduced. The hardware architectures, based on optoelectronic generation and detection of THz radiation are described. Approximations to the wave equation are derived, allowing linear reconstruction algorithms to recover 3D structural information fromthe transmitted THz field. Finally the systems are demonstrated and the achievable resolution and image quality are investigated. Three imaging architectures are developed herein: 1. T-ray holography allows the 3D distribution of point scatters to be resolved based on a single projection image utilising a novel reconstruction algorithm based on the windowed Fourier transform and back-propagation of the Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction equation. 2. T-ray diffraction tomography utilises the diffracted THz field to allow a Helmholtz equation based, frequency-dependent reconstruction to be performed and the THz spectrum at each pixel to be calculated. 3. T-ray Computed Tomography (CT) uses analogous techniques to X-ray CT, based on the Radon transform, to provide 3D T-ray reconstructions of unprecedented fidelity. These techniques have important applications in material identification, which is investigated in the second part of this Thesis. Pulsed THz spectroscopy has been widely acclaimed for its potential to identify different materials based on their spectral properties. The second part of this Thesis presents algorithms towards this goal. Three case studies are performed focusing on biomaterial classification, anthrax detection and in vitro osteosarcoma cell differentiation. A classification framework is developed to process the THz spectral data and identify specific materials. A linear filter model is introduced to describe the system response of different materials, and the filter taps are utilised for feature extraction. This technique is demonstrated for biomaterial and anthrax classification. For cell differentiation a genetic algorithm is used to select deconvolved frequency components to train a classifier. In each case a high classification accuracy is demonstrated, highlighting the promise and potential of three dimensional T-ray inspection systems. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 2004.

Bibliography: p. 231-232. / xvi, 232 p. : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The aim of this thesis is detecting and tracking objects at large ranges, when no target features are visible, with imaging type sensors. A system which estimates the optical flow of the scene in a parallel architecture is developed. The architecture is similar to that of an artifical neural network. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 1994

"December, 2003" / Includes bibliographical references (p. 311-348) / Accompanying CD-ROM entitled: 'SPM_PhD_Thesis' contains MATLAB_Algorithms (algorithms for T-ray data analysis and display, as described in the Thesis); Appendix D (Example_Raw_Data_Files - examples of raw T-ray data files, used by the MATLAB algorithms in MATLAB_Algorithms); and Thesis_PDF (a copy of the Thesis printed in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF)). / System requirements for accompanying CD-ROM: CD-ROM drive ; Adobe Acrobat reader ; Matlab software. / xxxiv, 358 p. : ill. (col.) ; 30 cm. + 1 CD-ROM (col. ill. ; 4 3/4 in.) / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, 2004

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 126-147). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.