Optronics
Our optronics market includes the Electro-optic or Opto electronic system manufacturers providing their customers or end users with innovating & high end industrial vision solutions using CCD & CMOS Camera, Thermal Imager, Cooled & Un-cooled IR (NIR, SWIR, MWIR & LWIR) Camera for applications such as automated inspection, surveillance & security, night vision, thermal imaging, Free space optical (FSO) communication to name but a few…
Our optronic customers look for mechatronic components able to improve the performances of their embedded vision system in terms of image quality & light weight structure, often operating in harsh environment (Land, Sea, Air). To answer to their needs, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES has been developing compact, dynamic & precise XY piezo & magnetic stages, piezo Tip Tilt platforms & fast steering mirrors as well as linear piezo motorized stages since 1998. Here below a list and description of some functions for which we provided our customers with high value added components:
– Micro-scanning, Pixel shift, Dithering functions for image resolution enhancement,
-Optical image, laser or line of sight (LOS) stabilization & anti shaking or anti blurring functions for precise target pointing & better image quality,
-Auto Focus function for continuous correction of the image focus
MICRO-SCANNING, PIXEL SHIFT, DITHERING…
Micro-scanning, Dithering or Pixel shifting is a technique which increases the true resolution of a detector (CCD, CMOS, FPA, etc…) by moving a focal lens or the detector itself by fractions of a pixel in the x- and y-directions. The main customer benefit is to enhance the resolution of their existing detector at a much lower cost than buying a twice higher resolution detector. Depending on the optical configuration and the detector type of the customer camera or electro optic system, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES can develop either embedded XY or Tip Tilt stages with their related controllers to move respectively a focal lens, a detector or a mirror.
OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION
Image stabilization (IS) is a family of techniques used to reduce blurring associated with the motion of a camera during exposure. Specifically, it compensates for pan and tilt (angular movement, equivalent to yaw and pitch) of a camera or other imaging device. Due to their small pixel size, high resolution detectors are very sensitive to external vibrations which impact their image quality especially with the decreasing Field of View (FoV) due to the increasing zoom demand. Depending on the optical configuration and the detector type of the customer camera or electro optic system, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES can develop either embedded XY or Tip Tilt stages (Beam or Fast Steering Mirror, Point Ahead Mechanism,…) with their related controllers to move respectively a focal lens, a detector or a mirror in order to actively compensate the optical disturbances. Note that both microscanning & optical stabilisation functions can be performed simultaneously with the same piezo stage. This fine stability control of the line of sight is also very useful for Laser pointing on targets for identification, surveillance and recognition (ISR) systems as well as on optical detectors for free space optical communication systems.
BEAM WANDER CORRECTION & BEAM SHAPPING
Direct energy weapons (DEW) use high energy lasers (HEL) to destroy a target such as a missile or a drone, or to make it inoperative. The laser power of such weapons varies from several kW up to 300 kW. To make sure a laser weapon is efficient, the laser beam must heat the targeted area with a focused beam at a constant place. This ensures the targeted material to heat up and ultimately be destroyed. When the laser beam goes through atmospheric turbulences, its mean position can be randomly deviated. This results in the beam power being diluted in a larger area on the target surface, leading to a lower power density. To compensate this deviation, a fast-steering mirror (FSM) can be used to stabilize the laser position according to the atmospheric turbulences. CTEC have been delivering several COTS and customised fast-steering platforms for high energy laser applications (Direct Energy Weapon or laser welding and cutting). The steering platform is designed according to the mirror substrate and optical performances required in the laser process and system. Our fast steering mirror solutions, based on different platform designs, welcome either glass or silicon carbide mirror substrates. These FSM are controlled by CTEC driving electronics, according to dynamic specifications.
AUTO FOCUS
An autofocus (or AF) optical system uses a positioning sensor, a control system and a linear motorized stage to focus fully automatic on a selected target. Depending on the lens size to move, CEDRAT TECHNOLOGIES can customize its standard Linear Stepping Piezo Stage (LSPS35XS) and related controller on demands. The customized non magnetic LSPS is more compact, robust, EMC compatible and light weight than magnetic stepper motor based AF system. These key advantages of the LSPS are immediate benefits for hand held IR camera manufacturers.
Other functions or devices like shutter, laser speckle removal, zoom, scene calibration mechanism, etc…can be developped under request.
