DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF A MINIATURIZED OPTICAL CORRELATOR

A miniature Vander Lugt optical correlator has been built to demonstrate this technology for guidance and navigation applications. Using a liquid crystal light valve as the input spatial light modulator, a cemented set of Porro prisms to fold the light path, and a combination holographic matched spatial filter and optical element, this rugged assembly is a prototype seeker head for an Army missile. The correlator is battery operated and mounts in a precision two-axis gimbal. The system correlates on aerial imagery and guides the missile to its preselected ground target. The correlator is 105 mm in diameter and 90 mm long. Including input optics, it weighs 2.3 kg.