What is claimed is:
1. A common aperture multi-mode optical system, comprising:
first fore-optics for imaging electromagnetic radiation through a common aperture to an intermediate image plane;
a first imaging module having
(a) a first beam-splitter located after the common aperture, for dividing the electromagnetic radiation between a first wavelength band and one or more second wavelength bands,
(b) a first detector for detecting the first wavelength band,
(c) one or more second detectors for detecting the second wavelength bands; and
an interface for attaching the first imaging module to the first fore-optics and alternatively detaching the first imaging module to the first fore-optics.
2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second imaging module, the first imaging module being removable from the first fore-optics via the interface, the second imaging module being attachable to the first fore-optics via the interface, for providing imaging of one or more third wavelength bands.
3. The system of claim 2, the first wavelength band comprising visible light, the second wavelength band comprising long-wave infrared radiation, the third wavelength band comprising mid-wave infrared radiation.
4. The system of claim 1, further comprising second fore-optics, the first fore-optics module being removable from the first imaging module via the interface, the second fore-optics being attachable to the first imaging module via the interface, for providing different optical imaging of the electromagnetic radiation into the first imaging module.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the beam-splitter is a dichroic beam-splitter.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first wavelength band is visible light electromagnetic radiation.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first detector comprises one of a CCD array or a CMOS array.
8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a field lens and one or more magnifying lenses positioned between the beam-splitter and the first detector, to provide for zooming in and out of the first wavelength band.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wavelength bands comprise a long-wave infrared band.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the second detector comprises an uncooled microbolometer array.
11. The system of claim 10, further comprising micro-optics disposed proximal to the uncooled microbolometer array to reduce the f-number of the long-wave infrared band incident to the uncooled microbolometer array.
12. The system of claim 11, the micro-optics comprising a plurality of reflective concentrators, each of the concentrators being adjacent to one bolometer of the microbolometer array.
13. The system of claim 12, the concentrators comprising compound parabolic shapes.
14. The system of claim 12, the concentrators comprising one or more refractive elements transmissive to the long-wave infrared band, each of the elements being adjacent to one bolometer of the microbolometer array.
15. The system of claim 11, the micro-optics comprising one or more refractive elements transmissive to the long-wave infrared band, each of the elements being adjacent to one bolometer of the microbolometer array.
16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a piezo-electric element responsive to a command signal to displace the micro-optics further from, and alternatively closer to, the microbolometer array.
17. The system of claim 11, wherein the micro-optics comprise an array of hollow tapered capillaries.
18. The system of claim 1, wherein the second wavelength band comprises a mid-wave infrared band and a long-wave infrared band, and further comprising a second beam-splitter for dividing the second wavelength bands between the mid-wave infrared band and the long-wave infrared band, the second detectors comprising a first infrared detector and a second infrared detector.
19. The system of claim 18, the first infrared detector comprising a microbolometer array, the second infrared detector comprising a MWIR detector.
20. The system of claim 19, the MWIR detector comprising one of PtSi, InSb and HgCdTe.
21. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises optics for reducing the f-number of at least one of the second wavelength bands.
22. The system of claim 1, wherein the optics comprises one or more of a fiber optic taper, one or more refractive lens elements, and reflective elements.
23. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more magnifying lenses positioned between the first beam-splitter and at least one of the second detectors, to provide for zooming in and out of at least one of the second wavelength bands.
24. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing encasing at least the first imaging module, except for a region of the common aperture.
25. The system of claim 1, wherein the first fore-optics comprises a Cassegrain mirrored telescope.
26. The system of claim 1, wherein the first fore-optics comprises a Newtonian mirrored telescope.
27. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a first post processor coupled with the first detector and the second detectors to process the first wavelength band and the second wavelength bands to form an assembled image.
28. The system of claim 27, further comprising a second imaging module, the first imaging module being removable from the first fore-optics via the interface, the second imaging module being attachable to the first fore-optics via the interface, for providing imaging one or more third wavelength bands via one or more third detectors within the second imaging module, the second imaging module comprising a second post processor coupled with the third detectors for detecting the third wavelength bands, the second post-processor coupled with the third detectors to form an assembled image.
29. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a post processor coupled with the first detector and second detectors to process the first wavelength band and the second wavelength bands to automatically identify and detect target objects in the field of view of the system.
30. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a distance finder for transmitting a signal through the first fore-optics to determine a distance from the optical system to a target object.
31. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a targeting laser for transmitting a laser through the first fore-optics to a target object.
32. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a global positioning system for determining earth location of the optical system.
33. The system of claim 32, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a distance finder and one or more orientation sensors, to determine the location of a target object by determining,
(a) the location of the optical system determined by the global positioning system,
(b) a distance from the optical system to the target object determined by the distance finder, and
(c) a direction the first fore-optics are aimed as determined by the one or more orientation sensors.
34. The system of claim 1, wherein the first imaging module further comprises one or more rate sensors to measure movement of the optical system for image stabilization.
35. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing for encasing at least the first imaging module, except for a region of the common aperture, and wherein the first wavelength band comprises a first optical channel within the housing that is modularized to be mechanically swappable with another channel to provide one of (a) repair of the first channel and (b) imaging in another wavelength band.
36. The system of claim 35, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a first post processor coupled with the first detector and the second detectors to process the first wavelength band and the second wavelength bands to form an assembled image, the post-processor being configured to accommodate processing of the another wavelength band automatically after swapping the first optical channel with the another channel.
37. The system of claim 1, further comprising a hyperspectral imager for processing any of the first wavelength band and second wavelength bands.
38. The system of claim 1, further comprising a housing for encasing at least the first imaging module, except for a region of the common aperture, and wherein at least one of the second wavelength bands comprises a second optical channel within the housing that is modularized to be mechanically swappable with another channel to provide one of (a) repair of the second channel and (b) imaging in another wavelength band.
39. The system of claim 38, wherein the first imaging module further comprises a first post processor coupled with the first detector and the second detectors to process the first wavelength band and the second wavelength bands to form an assembled image, the post-processor being configured to accommodate processing of the another wavelength band automatically after swapping the second optical channel with the another channel.
40. A microbolometer detector, comprising:
a microbolometer array for detecting a long-wave infrared band; and
micro-optics having an array of reflective concentrators, each of the reflective concentrators adjacent one bolometer of the microbolometer array for matching an f-number of infrared radiation to a desired f-number of the bolometer.
41. The microbolometer detector of claim 40, the concentrators being parabolic in shape.
42. The microbolometer detector of claim 40, the concentrators comprising one or more refractive elements transmissive to the long-wave infrared band, each of the elements being adjacent to one bolometer of the microbolometer array.
43. The microbolometer detector of claim 40, the micro-optics comprising one or more refractive elements transmissive to the long-wave infrared band, each of the elements being adjacent to one bolometer of the microbolometer array.
44. The microbolometer detector of claim 40, wherein the micro-optics comprise an array of hollow tapered capillaries.
45. A method for imaging multiple wavelength bands from an object through a common aperture optical system, comprising the steps of:
focusing broadband radiation through reflective fore-optics;
dividing the broadband radiation into two or more separate wavelength bands, each of the wavelength bands having a unique channel;
processing each of the wavelength bands with one or more optical elements within the channels;
detecting images within each of the channels; and
swapping at least one of the channels with at least one other channel to process one or more different wavelength bands.
46. A method of claim 45, the step of swapping comprising detaching a first imaging module containing the channels and attaching a second imaging module containing the at least one other channel.
47. A method of claim 45, the step of swapping comprising removing one of the channels as a monolithic assembly and inserting, in its place, the one other channel as a monolithic assembly.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A metal element formation method comprising:
a liquid repellent section formation step of forming a liquid repellent section on an entirety of a treatment surface of a substrate;
a lyophilic section formation step of forming a lyophilic section by removing a portion of said liquid repellent section;
a film formation step of forming a seed layer on said lyophilic section by discharging a liquid material for said lyophilic section using a liquid discharge method;
a plating formation step of forming a plating layer on said seed layer; and
an insulating film formation step of forming an insulating film on said treatment surface of said substrate while retaining said liquid repellent section on said treatment surface.
2. A metal element formation method according to claim 1, wherein in said film formation step and said plating layer formation step, said seed layer and said plating layer are formed using the same material.
3. A metal element formation method according to claim 1, wherein in said film formation step and said plating layer formation step, said seed layer and said plating layer are formed using different materials.
4. A metal element formation method according to claim 1, wherein a liquid material comprising metal atoms is used in said film formation step.
5. A metal element formation method according to claim 4, wherein a liquid material comprising copper atoms is used in said film formation step.
6. A metal element formation method according to claim 4, wherein a liquid material comprising an organocopper compound is used in said film formation step.
7. A metal element formation method according to claim 1, further comprising:
an etching step of etching said insulating film and exposing said plating layer, which are conducted following completion of said insulating film formation step.
8. A metal element formation method according to claim 7, wherein in said insulating film formation step, an insulating film that has been formed as a thin film is transferred to said treatment surface, and forms said insulating film on said treatment surface.
9. A metal element formation method according to claim 7, wherein in said insulating film formation step, said insulating film is formed by placing a liquid material containing insulating matter in contact with said treatment surface, and conducting a subsequent heat treatment.