Designing imaging systems that use coherent fiber bundles

Abstract

The use of coherent fiberoptic bundles facilitates the combining of imaging systems where complicated packaging limitations occur. Separate imaging systems can be designed independently of each other and then mated together by using coherent bundles. Several examples will be discussed. Two oscilloscopes can be lens coupled onto a two-legged coherent bundle that is mated to a TV camera for recording digitized images. Four images can be lens coupled onto a four-legged coherent bundle. The image output of this quadruplex bundle is then optically relayed onto TV cameras for recording. Microchannel plate image intensifiers can be butt coupled onto the coherent bundles if a wavelength shift is needed, if images need to be gated on at different times, or if optical gain for the recorded image is required. Optical relay designs, coherent bundle specifications, imaging resolution, distortion, and spectral responses will be discussed.