Infrared, Lasers & Fiber Optics (2018) Flashcards
List some of the advantages of IR over radar.
Less susceptible to detection and interference. IR equipment is usually less complex
Define remote sensing.
Remote sensing is the process of detecting or sensing infrared radiation from a target without being in physical contact with that target.
List the similar characteristics of infrared and light.
reflection, refraction, absorption and speed of transmission
What frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum are considered to be in the IR
frequency range?
About 300 gigahertz to about 400 tetrahertz
Name the three IR bands of the electro- magnetic spectrum.
- near infrared (NIR)
- intermediate infrared (IIR)
- far infrared (FIR)
List the advantages in using IR for target detection.
- IR systems are passive
- complete jamming is difficult
- military targets are good sources.
- IR systems are smaller, lighter, less complex, and less expensive.
- IR systems have a high target resolution
What is the blackbody concept?
an object that absorbs all radiation incident on it and emits the maximum radiation for any given temperature.
Of all the parameters in determining IR characteristics, which one is the most important, and why?
temperature is the most important parameter in determining the IR characteristics of any body. as temperature of an object changes, the wavelength where peak radiation occurs shifts, and the total energy radiated varies.
What is the primary factor that affects the IR transmitting medium and its primary cause?
The effect of atmospheric attenuation on transmission is a very important factor in considering the overall effectiveness of the system. The 2 primary causes are scattering by suspended particles and absorption by free molecules in the atmosphere.
Absorption is the major cause of attenuation in IR system design. What happens at higher altitudes?
The absorption bands are much narrower at high altitudes because the atmosphere is thinner; therefore, there are less considerations in designing high altitude IR systems.
List the problems involved when designing IR optical systems.
- the material used must match the wavelength the detector responds to.
- optical materials are physically weak and damage easily by high temperature and thermal shock.
- pressure and chemical reactions can change the properties of some optical materials.
Optical filters isolate certain wavelengths and screen out undesired wavelengths. What are the three general types of filters?
- Those that pass short waves
- Those that pass a particular band of waves.
- Those that pass long waves.
What is the most critical component of any IR system?
detector
List the most common types of detectors.
Bolometers Golay cells mercury-doped germanium lead sulfate phototubes
Define responsivity as it relates to the detector.
The amount of output signal that each unit of input radiation intensity produces.
What are two of the most important types of noise generated by an IR system?
- Current noise caused by bias currents within the detector.
- Johnson noise caused by thermal fluctuations in the detector material.
Name the two basic types of energy-matter interaction.
Photon and thermal effect