Multi dimensional instantaneous optical signal processor

摘要

A 3 or more - dimensional optical processor for simultaneously processing three or more parameters from a coherent emitter via an acoustic Bragg cell. For a 3-D processor, two separate antenna arrays (azimuth and elevation) are connected to excite two sets of acoustic transducer arrays on one edge of the Bragg cell. Multiplexing is achieved by the appropriate choice of the transducer array apertures. One transducer array set may have a narrow aperture to produce one wide first grating lobe pattern or a fraction thereof in a given focal plane (nonredundant imaging). The other transducer array set may have a wider transducer array aperture to produce a plurality of smaller second grating lobes within the first grating lobe pattern in the focal plane (redundant imaging). One coordinate axis of the focal plane represents the frequency of the emitter. The other coordinate provides the elevation parameter for that frequency emitter by measuring the position of the nonredundant lobe relative to the center boresight axis. The azimuth parameter is then obtained for that frequency emitter by measuring the position of the small redundant lobe closest to the centroid of the nonredundant lobe relative to its null position for that particular redundant lube.