Intelligent Optics
Systems and Applications
The Intelligent Optics (IO) Business Area at AOA Xinetics specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of systems which require state-of-the-art integration of optical, electro-optical, and opto-mechanical technologies. It has supplied laser beam control systems as well as adaptive optics systems for over 30 years for government, industrial, and commercial applications including high energy lasers, free space optics, astronomy, and advanced imaging for ISR. IO has a proven track record of providing innovative solutions in wavefront sensing and correction for a wide variety of beam control applications. It supports all program phases from concept development and system design through prototype, integration, test and evaluation, and field support. IO's government customer base includes the Air Force Research Labs, Starfire Optical Range, NASA, DARPA, the High Energy Laser Joint Technology Office, and the Office of Naval Research.
AOA Xinetics has preserved and improved critical deformable mirror technology over the past ten years. The lead magnesium niobate (PMN) electroceramic actuators used in the mirrors have characteristics ideal for adaptive optics applications. The commercial deformable mirror product has not only helped astronomers see the very beginnings of time, but has also helped ophthalmologists see the very beginnings of eye disease. AOA Xinetics makes several different active optical devices to enable the optics community to dynamically control the focus, tip and tilt, and low order wavefront errors found in uncorrected optical systems. All of AOA Xinetics active devices are based upon internally fabricated PMN Cofired actuator stacks or custom PMN actuator geometries. Tip and tilt mirrors are available for high-speed beam steering and/or wavefront tilt compensation. Each device comes complete with a driver system and interface hardware to enable the stroke and temporal response required. In the past ten years, AOA Xinetics has built and delivered over 100 mirrors totaling over 12,000 actuators.
Capabilities:
- Systems Engineering, Simulation, Design, and Analysis
- Design of diverse optical, electro-optical and electronic systems
- Simulation and analysis of optical and adaptive optical systems
- Simulation of atmospheric propagation and hardware performance
- Trade studies to identify cost effective design methodologies
- Design for manufacturability
- Design, Analysis, and Fabrication of:
- Wavefront Sensors
- Adaptive Optics Systems
- High Performance Electro-Optics Systems
- High Performance Imaging Systems
- High Speed / Low Noise Analog Electronics
- Ultra-High Throughput Digital Processing Systems
- High frame rate cameras
- High Reliability and Mil-spec Fabrication and Test
- High Performance Software Engineering for Real-Time Systems
Airborne Laser Beam Control System
Applications:
- Wavefront Sensing and Correction
- High Energy Laser Directed Energy Weapons
- Advanced Imaging for ISR
- Free Space Optical Communications Networks
- Astronomy
- Atmospheric and Optical Modeling and Simulation
Monolithic Lenslet Arrays Manufactured by AOA Xinetics for Wavefront Sensing Instrumentation
IO is a leader in advanced wavefront control systems for real-time control of active optical systems, including advanced techniques in wavefront sensing and correction. With more than 30 years of experience as a systems integrator, it has the expertise and development capability to meet the most demanding design and production schedules. IO's experience and capabilities enable it to deliver mission-critical systems on budget and on time. Its reputation is built on its customers' successes.
For additional information about Intelligent Optics
Terry Bruno
Business Area Manager – Intelligent Optics
AOA Xinetics
Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems
115 Jackson Road
Devens, MA 01432
Phone: 978-757-9483
E-mail