Long wave infrared (LWIR) optics that transmit in the 8 to 14 m wavelength range and, additionally, can withstand severe physical and thermal stresses are needed for advanced remote sensing, guidance and communication-based applications. However, most non-oxide transparent LWIR optics do not have the wider transmission range, nor the hardness and resistance to thermal shock needed for extreme environments. Because of these limitations, research is circling back to a promising material, calcium lanthanum sulfide (CLS), that could meet LWIR needs for extreme environments. In this thesis, we will demonstrate the abilities of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) as a technique for characterizing CLS powders and ceramics for elemental analysis, valence state and stoichiometry evaluation. Three preliminary studies were conducted - a binary metal sulfide evaluation of lanthanum sulfide (La2S3) and calcium sulfide (CaS), and a calibration curve of mixtures of the two binary metal sulfide powders from a known concentration matrix. Based on these results, a methodology was developed to evaluate CLS powder and ceramics via XPS. We showcase the power of XPS to reliably determine CLS stoichiometry, identify impurities and defects as related to the presence of carbon and oxygen during processing, and predict the bonding environment of sulfur which can lead to better quality CLS ceramics. This thesis demonstrates the use of XPS as a potential characterization tool in CLS to identify contaminants, determine if stoichiometry is met, and identify the bonding environments to assist in processing improvements for producing higher-quality ceramics.

This thesis presented an overview of the development of a geolocating algorithm as part of a geoprocessor for raw satellite imagery. This algorithm was devised for and limited by the specifications of a state-of-the-art multispectral telescope designed by Aistech Space, hosted onboard the Guardian spacecraft, which will observe Earth through the visible, near infrared, and thermal infrared bands of the electromagnetic spectrum. The geolocation algorithm presented here is composed of the combination of two models. The first is a physical model, which makes use of spacecraft telemetry and external satellite-tracking data to approximate the geographical center of a sensed scene. Secondly, an optical model obtains a reference Landsat image based on the timestamp and approximated location of the sensed scene and utilizes image processing techniques to pinpoint a more precise geographical location of the sensed scene within acceptable limits. This performance was achieved in 77% of the cases considered. To conclude, a roadmap of the subsequent development topics and their relevance was laid out. / Detta examensarbete presenterar en översikt för utvecklingen av en geolokaliseringsalgoritm som en del av en geoprocessor för obearbetade satellitbilder. Algoritmen anpassades för och begränsades av specifikationerna för ett toppmodernt multispektralt teleskop designat av Aistech Space. Teleskopet kommer att finnas ombord på rymdfarkosten Guardian, där den är avsedd att observera jorden i de synliga, nära infraröda och termiska infraröda delarna av det elektromagnetiska spektrumet. Geolokaliseringsalgoritmen som presenteras i detta arbete är sammansatt av en kombination av två modeller. Den första är en fysisk modell, vilken använder sig av rymdfarkostens telemetri och extern satellitspårningsdata för att approximera det geografiska centrumet av en plats. Den andra är en optisk modell, vilken använder sig av en Landsat-referensbild baserad på tidsstämpeln och den ungefärliga positionen av platsen och använder sedan bildbehandlingstekniker för att fastställa en mer exakt geografisk position av platsen inom acceptabla gränser. Denna prestation lyckades uppnås i 77% av de övervägda fallen. Avslutningsvis lades en plan ut för de efterföljande utvecklingsämnena och deras relevans.

<p>This thesis describes three computational optical systems and their underlying coding strategies. These codes are useful in a variety of optical imaging and spectroscopic applications. Two multichannel cameras are described. They both use a lenslet array to generate multiple copies of a scene on the detector. Digital processing combines the measured data into a single image. The visible system uses focal plane coding, and the long wave infrared (LWIR) system uses shift coding. With proper calibration, the multichannel interpolation results recover contrast for targets at frequencies beyond the aliasing limit of the individual subimages. This thesis also describes a LWIR imaging system that simultaneously measures four wavelength channels each with narrow bandwidth. In this system, lenses, aperture masks, and dispersive optics implement a spatially varying spectral code.</p> / Dissertation

Runway detection in long wavelength infrared (LWIR) video could potentially increase the number of successful landings by increasing the situational awareness of pilots and verifying a correct approach. A method for detecting runways in LWIR video was therefore proposed and evaluated for robustness, speed and FPGA acceleration. The proposed algorithm improves the detection probability by making assumptions of the runway appearance during approach, as well as by using a modified Hough line transform and a symmetric search of peaks in the accumulator that is returned by the Hough line transform. A video chain was implemented on a Xilinx ZC702 Development card with input and output via HDMI through an expansion card. The video frames were buffered to RAM, and the detection algorithm ran on the CPU, which however did not meet the real-time requirement. Strategies were proposed that would improve the processing speed by either acceleration in hardware or algorithmic changes.

Approved for public release; distribution in unlimited. / Silicon Blocked Impurity Band (BIB) detectors are highly efficient, radiation-hardened photodetectors that operate in the range of 5-40 æm. To further extend BIB coverage to 40-350 æm, Ge and GaAs BIB detectors are under development; however, these new detectors face fabrication issues that have delayed their introduction. This thesis will describe the use of a numerical model to examine alternate operating modes for GaAs BIB detectors in order to bypass current fabrication issues. The numerical simulations provide an understanding of the fundamental physics that governs detector transport. The proposed alternatives to standard operation are created by reversing the detector's bias and varying the blocking layer thickness. Modeling indicates that reversing the bias on these detectors provides a larger signal current than standard configurations, while preserving the principal benefits gained from a multilayered device. At the same time, the alternate bias configuration allows for the use of thicker blocking layers, while preserving overall detector responsivity and reducing shot noise. This proposed new model of operation should allow for the relaxation of fabrication constraints without sacrificing the inherent benefits associated with BIB detectors. These devices are of potential interest for missile defense and terahertz surveillance applications. / Lieutenant Commander, United States Navy

Measurements of process variations and particle morphology are widely employed in the pulp and paper industry. Two techniques with high potential, infrared thermography and microparticle characterisation, are mainly used qualitatively. Quantitative thermography requires knowledge of the emittance, a material property which has not been measured under many process-relevant conditions. Quantitative characterisation of microparticles, e.g. pulp fines and mineral fillers, requires the analysis of a large number of particles, which can be accomplished using flow microscopes. Flow microscopes for pulp analysis have had insufficient spatial resolution to resolve fines and fillers. Additionally, there has been a lack of methods which can differentiate between fines and fillers in a mixed suspension. State-of-the-art instruments for particle image analysis were evaluated and compared to laser diffractometry, a measurement method based on scattering by diffraction. Laser diffractometry was found to be highly sensitive to the complex refractive index of the particles, and especially to its change due to moisture absorption. A high-resolution imaging flow cytometer and a high-resolution fibre analyser were found to be complementary for characterisation of pure fines and fines/filler mixtures, and superior to laser diffractometry. A method for differentiating between fines and fillers in a suspension based on their autofluorescence and side-scattering was proposed and qualitatively evaluated. Furthermore, a method for measuring the directional and integrated emittance of paper was developed and its accuracy was determined. Measurements on a wide range of samples showed that the emittance of fibre-based materials vary significantly with wavelength, pulp type, observation angle, and moisture content. By applying measured quantitative values of the emittance, the thermal energy emitted by sack paper samples during mechanical deformation could be quantitatively calculated. The increase in thermal energy at the time of rupture was found to correlate well with the elastic share of the mechanical energy that was stored in the sample during its elongation. In summary, the results of this work have facilitated the use of quantitative microparticle analysis and infrared thermography for pulp and paper applications. / Mätningar av processvariationer och partiklars form och storlek utförs i stor skala inom massa- och pappersindustrin. Två mättekniker med stor potential, infraröd termografi och mikropartikel-karaktärisering, används mest kvalitativt idag. Kvantitativ termografi kräver att provets emittans är känd. Emittansen är en materialegenskap som inte har mätts för många förhållanden som är relevanta inom papperstillverkning. Kvantitativ karaktärisering av partiklar kräver att ett tillräckligt stort antal partiklar analyseras, något som kan göras med flödesmikroskop. Flödesmikroskop för mäldanalys har haft otillräcklig upplösning för att karaktärisera mikrometerstora partiklar, t.ex. fines och fyllmedel. Det har heller inte funnits någon metod som kan särskilja mellan fines och fyllmedel i en blandning. Högupplösta mätinstrument för bildbaserad mikropartikelkaraktärisering utvärderades och jämfördes med en laserdiffraktometer, en mätmetod baserad på ljusspridning genom diffraktion. Laserdiffraktometerns mätresultat påverkades starkt av det brytningsindex som antogs för provet, och hur brytningsindexet ändrades med fukthalt. En högupplöst bildbaserad flödescytometer och en högupplöst fibermätare konstaterades komplettera varandra vid mätningar av mäldens finmaterial. De var även pålitligare än laserdiffraktometern vid mätningar av organiskt finmaterial. En metod för att skilja mellan organiskt och oorganiskt finmaterial i en mäld baserat på deras autofluorescens och ljusspridning presenterades och utvärderades kvalitativt. En metod för att mäta den vinkelberoende och våglängdsintegrerade emittansen hos fiberbaserade material utvecklades och dess mätnoggrannhet utvärderades. Mätningar på ett stort antal prover visade att emittansen varierade betydligt med våglängd, mäldtyp, observationsvinkel, och fukthalt. Genom att använda den uppmätta emittansen kunde den termiska energin som frigjordes av ett säckpappersprov vid brottögonblicket beräknas. Denna energi korrelerade väl med den elastiska energi som lagrades i provet medan det töjdes, fram till tidpunkten för brottet. Sammanfattningsvis har resultaten av detta arbete möjliggjort kvantitativ användning av mikropartikel-karaktärisering och infraröd termografi i massa- och papperstillämpningar. / <p>QC 20160122</p>

Thermography is a non-destructive technique which uses infrared radiation to obtain the temperature distribution of an object. The technique is increasingly used in the pulp and paper industry. To convert the detected infrared radiation to a temperature, the emittance of the material must be known. For several influencing parameters the emittance of paper and board has not previously been studied in detail. This is partly due to the lack of emittance measurement methods that allow for studying the influence of these parameters. An angle-resolved goniometric method for measuring the infrared emittance of a material was developed in this thesis. The method is based on the reference emitter methodology, and uses commercial infrared cameras to determine the emittance. The method was applied to study the dependence on wavelength range, temperature, observation angle, moisture ratio, sample composition, and sample structure of the emittance of paper and board samples. It was found that the emittance varied significantly with wavelength range, observation angle and moisture ratio. The emittance was significantly higher in the LWIR (Long-Wavelength Infrared) range than in the MWIR (Mid-Wavelength Infrared) range. The emittance was approximately constant up to an observation angle of 60° in the MWIR range and 70° in the LWIR range, respectively. After that it started to decrease. The emittance of moist samples was significantly higher than that of dry samples. The influence of moisture ratio on the emittance could be estimated based on the moisture ratio of the sample, and the emittance of pure water and dry material, respectively. The applicability of measured emittance values was demonstrated in an investigation of the mechanical properties of sack paper samples. An infrared camera was applied to monitor the generation of heat during a tensile test of a paper sample. It was found that the observed increase in thermal energy at the time of rupture corresponded well to the value of the elastic energy stored in the sample just prior to rupture. The measured emittance value provided an increased accuracy in the thermal energy calculation based on the infrared images. / <p>QC 20121121</p>