JPH0712642A - Infrared sensor for missile - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To use a plurality of cooled detectors without the increases in weight, electric power and size, and without deviation of registration between the detectors in a remote sensing infrared sensor for mounting on a missile in the space. CONSTITUTION:An optical path for observing light is changed with optical-path switching mirrors 7-1 and 7-2, which are provided at the rear stage of an optical system 2 for guiding the incident light from an object to be observed. The observed light is inputted into a plurality on infrared-ray detectors 3, which are provided in a single refrigerating device 4, through respective relay optical systems 6, respectively.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a spacecraft, an aircraft,
The present invention relates to an infrared sensor mounted on a balloon or the like and used for remote sensing of the earth, the atmosphere, and other planets, and particularly to an infrared sensor having a cooled infrared detector.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an infrared sensor for remote sensing, it is necessary to have a plurality of observation wavelength bands (bands) for precise observation of the temperature of the earth and planets and trace elements in the atmosphere. A plurality are provided. In addition, in the spacecraft infrared sensor, it is necessary to take a redundant configuration of the detector as a countermeasure against the failure in the orbit.

Infrared detectors include thermoelectric type, pyroelectric type, quantum type and the like. For precise and high density observation,
The use of low temperature cooled quantum detectors is essential.

To cool a plurality of detectors, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, a dichroic mirror (for wavelength band division) 10- is provided at the subsequent stage of the optical system 2 for guiding the observation light from the scanning mirror 1.
1, 10-2 are provided, and the infrared detectors 3a, 3b, 3c are
There is a method (first method) in which one refrigerator 4a, 4b, 4c is associated with each other and cooled. In addition, in FIG.
Reference numerals 5a, 5b and 5c are infrared detectors and vacuum dewars, 8a, 8b and 8c are windows provided in the respective dewars, and 9 is an optical axis.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the infrared detectors 3a, 3b, 3c are arranged on the focal plane of the optical system to form a single refrigerator 4.
There is a method (second method) of cooling with. In the figure, 5 is a vacuum holding dewar, 8 is a window, and 9 is an optical axis.

[0006]

The first conventional method has a drawback in that a plurality of coolers are required, and the weight, power and size are multiplied.

In the second conventional method, there is a problem that a plurality of infrared detectors arranged on the focal plane of the optical system observe different points of the observation object (differential vision of the detector). In the case of multi-wavelength band observation, it causes deterioration of band-to-band registration.

It is an object of the present invention that a plurality of infrared detectors can be used by cooling with a single cooler, and there is no registration problem between detectors (different viewing), and the same viewing can be performed. It is to provide an infrared sensor for mounting which is capable of

[0009]

The infrared sensor of the present invention comprises:
A plurality of observation lights whose optical paths have been switched by the optical path switching means provided at the latter stage of the optical system that guides the incident light from the object to be observed are provided to a single cooler via the respective relay optical parts. Input to each infrared detector.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. This infrared sensor for mounting is installed in the latter stage of the optical system 2.
It is provided with two switching mirrors 7-1 and 7-2 which are optical path switching means. The switching mirrors 7-1 and 7-2 are rotatably supported around an axis and switch the optical path in three directions.

In the vacuum holding dewar 5, one mechanical refrigerator 4 is provided, and the infrared refrigerator 3a, 3b, 3c is provided in the refrigerator.

Optical windows 8a, 8b, 8c for receiving the observation light switched by the switching mirror are input to the dewar 5.
Is provided.

In the dewar 5, windows 8b, 8
A relay optical system 6 that guides the observation light incident from c to the infrared detectors 3b and 3c is provided.

In the on-board infrared sensor having the above-described structure, the observation light focused by the optical system 2 via the scanning mirror 1 has its optical path switched by the switching mirrors 7-1 and 7-2. The switched observation light is guided to the infrared detectors 3a, 3b, 3c installed in the single refrigerator 4, respectively.

The optical path switching by the switching mirror is as follows. (A) When both the switching mirrors 7-1 and 7-2 are parallel to the optical axis 9, the light enters the detector 3a through the window 8a. (B) Switching mirror 7-1 is parallel to optical axis 9, switching mirror 7
When −2 is at a position of 45 ° with respect to the optical axis 9, the light enters the detector 3b through the window 8b and the relay optical system 6b. (C) When the switching mirror 7-1 is at a position of 45 ° with respect to the optical axis 9 and the switching mirror 7-2 is parallel to the optical axis 9, input to the detector 3c via the window 8c and the relay optical system 6c. To do.

When the optical windows 8a, 8b and 8c of the light entering part for the vacuum holding dewar 5 have the same spectral characteristics, the detectors 3a, 3b and 3c form a redundant system. When the optical windows 8a, 8b, and 8c have different spectral characteristics (bandpass characteristics), three-band split observation is possible.

Band division can also be performed by installing a bandpass filter in front of the infrared detectors 3a, 3b, 3c instead of the optical window. At this time, each detector sees the same point of the observation target (same point of view), and there is no registration between detectors.

The above embodiment is an example in which there are three detectors, but the number of detectors can be increased by changing the incident angle of the incident mirror and adding a relay optical system corresponding to the angle. Is also possible.

Further, in the above embodiment, the refrigerator is a mechanical refrigerator, but refrigerant type and radiant cooling type refrigerators can also be used.

[0021]

As described above, according to the present invention, by providing an optical path switching mirror for incident light, a plurality of infrared detectors can be used by cooling a single refrigerator. Lightweight, low power consumption, and small infrared sensor can be realized compared to using individual refrigerators.

At this time, the same point of view is possible without the problem of inter-detector registration (different point of view).

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional infrared sensor using a plurality of refrigerators.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example (differential view) of a conventional infrared sensor.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Scanning Mirror 2 Optical System 3 Infrared Detector 4 Refrigerator 5 Dewar 6 Relay Optical System 7 Optical Path Switching Mirror 8 Window 9 Optical Axis 10 Dichroic Mirror

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An infrared sensor for remote sensing, comprising a cooled infrared detector and an optical means for guiding incident light from an object to be observed to the infrared detector, the infrared sensor being provided after the optical means. The observation light whose optical path is switched by the optical path switching means is input to each of a plurality of infrared detectors installed in a single cooler via each relay optical section. On-board infrared sensor. 2. A plurality of infrared detectors installed in a single cooler, an optical means for guiding incident light from an object to be observed to these infrared detectors, and a subsequent stage of the optical means. The provided optical path switching means, and the observation light whose optical path is switched by this optical path switching means,
A mounting infrared sensor, comprising: a plurality of infrared detectors; and a relay optical unit for inputting the infrared detectors, respectively.