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Pointing, Scanning, and Stabilization Mechanisms

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Principles of Infrared Technology

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Abstract

The photon’s journey through the sensor ends with its conversion to an electronic signal at the focal plane array. During the sampling (exposure, or integration) time, where photons are collected, the line of sight must be maintained within specified limits. That is, the light gathered from a given point in the scene must be registered. Otherwise, the photons from a given point in the scene will fall on and be recorded by pixels that are supposed to represent different parts of the scene. Similarly, in many applications, the stability of the scene with respect to the focal plane must also be maintained between frames. It is frequently required that both these criteria be met while the sensor is attached to a vibrating platform. The function of controlling and stabilizing the optical line of sight (LOS) falls to the servo/gimbal subsystem, which plays a significant part in determining overall infrared sensor performance, cost, and schedule.

“The trouble with nude dancing is that not everything stops when the music stops.”

Sir Robert Helpmann

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Authors
  1. John Lester Miller
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© 1994 Van Nostrand Reinhold

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Miller, J.L. (1994). Pointing, Scanning, and Stabilization Mechanisms. In: Principles of Infrared Technology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7664-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-7664-8_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-7666-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-7664-8

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