Characterization of the WISP array performance in ambient and cryogenic operating environments

Abstract

The Kinetic Kill Vehicle Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulator, located at Eglin AFB, has developed the capability to perform broadband 2-color testing of guided missile seekers in both ambient and cryogenic environments. The 2-color capability is provided by optically combining two 512 X 512 resistor arrays and projecting through all-reflective optical systems. This capability has raised the following questions: `How would a resistor array, designed to work at ambient conditions, perform when operated in a cryogenic environment?' and `How would a resistor array that was non- uniformity corrected (NUC) at ambient conditions perform when the NUC is applied to the array in a cryogenic environment?' The authors will attempt to address these questions by performing several measurements on a Wideband Infrared Scene Projector (WISP) Phase III resistor array in both ambient and cryogenic conditions. The WISP array performance will be defined in terms of temporal response, spatial non-uniformity, radiometric and thermal resolution, and radiometric and thermal transfer function.