Robust infrared countermeasure system and method

Radiant energy – Radiant energy generation and sources – Plural radiation sources

Reexamination Certificate

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C250S201900, C250S216000, C250S203100, C250S203200, C250S203600, C250S492100, C342S014000, C342S016000, C342S020000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06872960

ABSTRACT:
A system and method for focusing electromagnetic energy on a moving target. Generally, the inventive system sends a pilot beam to a target and analyzes a return wavefront to ascertain data with respect to any distortions and other phase and/or amplitude information in the wavefront. This information is then used to pre-distort an output beam by so that it is focused on the target by the intervening distortions. In an illustrative embodiment, the pilot beam is provided by a beacon laser mounted off-axis with respect to the output beam. The reflected wavefront is received through a gimbaled telescope. Energy received by the telescope is detected and processed to ascertain wavefront aberrations therein. This data is used to predistort a deformable mirror to create an output beam which is the phase conjugate of the received wavefront. In a first alternative embodiment, a nonlinear optical phase-conjugate mirror is employed to generate the required wavefront-reversed replica of the received wavefront. The system further includes an arrangement for modulating the output beam to confuse the target. In a second alternative embodiment, the system is adapted to examine atmospheric distortions of starlight to predistort the output beam. The alternative embodiment offers a faster response time and a lower susceptibility to detection.

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