Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development

A special issue of Photonics (ISSN 2304-6732).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 14025

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China
Interests: optical remote sensor design; optical system design theory and design method

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Guest Editor
Changchun Institute of Optics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
Interests: space optical remote technology; advanced optical manufacture technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200083, China
Interests: space-based infrared detection; infrared photoelectricity technology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Optical remote sensors use the sunlight reflected by the ground, from ultraviolet spectrum to infrared spectrum, to perform optical imaging of the Earth. The obtained optical information has made important contributions to the fields of Earth environment, Earth resources, urban planning and national security, etc. Facing the human exploration of the Universe, the observation object of optical remote sensors is not only the Earth; the exploration of planets and extrasolar galaxies in the solar system is also inseparable from optical remote sensors or space optical telescopes. There are many classifications of optical remote sensors, including imaging cameras, surveying cameras, spectrometers, thermal imagers, etc., which can provide rich remote sensing data. As a scientific instrument, the research and development of optical remote sensors is multidisciplinary work, involving a wide range of disciplines such as optics, mechanics, materials science, electronics, computer science, etc.

This Special Issue aims to publish selected contributions on advances in the design and development of optical remote sensors. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Optical remote sensor design;
  • Optical system design;
  • Technology for manufacturing and testing optical elements;
  • Opto-mechanical structure;
  • Optical remote sensor design simulation;
  • Infrared photoelectricity technology;
  • New imaging systems for optical remote sensor;
  • Future development of optical remote sensors;
  • Applications of optical remote sensors.

Dr. Qingyu Meng
Dr. Donglin Xue
Dr. Fansheng Chen
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • optical remote sensor
  • spectrometer
  • optical system design
  • optical manufacturing and testing
  • opto-mechanical structure
  • optical surveying
  • infrared photoelectricity technology

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 5467 KiB  
Article
Design and Performance Analysis of the Highly Sensitive Deep Vacuum Cooling sCMOS Imaging System for Highly Sensitive Detection of Space Targets
by Changzheng Lu, Changhua Liu, Meng Shao, Zhiyong Wu, Chun Jiang, Jingtai Cao and Tao Chen
Photonics 2023, 10(7), 819; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10070819 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1277
Abstract
The sCMOS imaging system with deep vacuum cooling technology has become a necessary way to improve the detection capability of space targets. In order to improve the detection capability of the photoelectric detection equipment for space targets, this paper developed the Highly Sensitive [...] Read more.
The sCMOS imaging system with deep vacuum cooling technology has become a necessary way to improve the detection capability of space targets. In order to improve the detection capability of the photoelectric detection equipment for space targets, this paper developed the Highly Sensitive Deep Vacuum Cooling Imaging System (HSDVCIS). Firstly, we designed the imaging readout processing circuit using the GSENSE4040 sCMOS image sensor designed and manufactured by Gpixel and the deep vacuum cooling structure using thermoelectric cooling. Then, we tested the designed HSDVCIS with readout noise, dark current, and dynamic range of 3.96 e, 0.12 e/pixel/sec, and 84.49 dB, respectively, and tested the image sensor with a minimum cooling temperature of −40 °C. Finally, according to the results of observation experiments, we validated that the photoelectric detection equipment equipped with HSDVCIS improved the limiting detection magnitude (at SNR = 5 level) from 13.22 to 13.51 magnitudes within a 3 s exposure time by turning on the cooling function. Therefore, HSDVCIS designed in this paper can achieve highly sensitive detection of space targets. At the same time, the development of HSDVCIS also provides technical reserves and strong support for future research on the imaging systems using multiple image sensor mosaics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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11 pages, 6152 KiB  
Communication
Application of the Improved Grinding Technology to Freeform Surface Manufacturing
by Lirong Peng, Xingchang Li, Lingzhong Li, Qiang Cheng, Xiao Luo, Xiaoqin Zhou and Xuejun Zhang
Photonics 2023, 10(3), 240; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10030240 - 22 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1608
Abstract
In order to meet the manufacturing requirements of modern space remote sensors for high-precision freeform optical parts, the grinding technology and its application were studied. The objective of this paper was to improve the application effect of traditional grinding technology in the processing [...] Read more.
In order to meet the manufacturing requirements of modern space remote sensors for high-precision freeform optical parts, the grinding technology and its application were studied. The objective of this paper was to improve the application effect of traditional grinding technology in the processing of hard and brittle materials, and then apply it in specific fields. Therefore, the influence of key process factors such as cutting speed and removal depth on subsurface damage (SSD) was studied based on orthogonal experiments, and an improved grinding technology characterized by low SSD and high surface shape accuracy was formed. Then, the effect of this grinding technology was further verified by the high-precision manufacturing of freeform surfaces. A surface of a 130 mm diameter freeform surface was machined by improved grinding technology and combined polishing technology, the final root mean square of surface shape reached 12.1 nm. The improved grinding technology can reduce SSD from 20 μm to 10 μm, and improve the manufacturing efficiency of freeform surfaces above 30% when the cut speed is 20 m/s and the remove depth is 10 μm. The proposed technology can be applied to the extreme manufacturing of hard and brittle materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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13 pages, 1892 KiB  
Article
Calibration and Validation of a Transfer Radiometer Applied to a Radiometric Benchmark Transfer Chain
by Kaichao Lei, Xin Ye, Nan Xu, Shuqi Li, Yachao Zhang, Yuwei Wang, Zhiwei Liu and Zhigang Li
Photonics 2023, 10(2), 173; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10020173 - 7 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1317
Abstract
A transfer radiometer (TR) applied to an on-orbit radiometric benchmark transfer chain has been developed, which can achieve the high-precision transformation of power and radiance responsivity and transmit the radiance responsivity traced to the cryogenic radiometer to remote sensors, such as an imaging [...] Read more.
A transfer radiometer (TR) applied to an on-orbit radiometric benchmark transfer chain has been developed, which can achieve the high-precision transformation of power and radiance responsivity and transmit the radiance responsivity traced to the cryogenic radiometer to remote sensors, such as an imaging spectrometer, so that the on-orbit remote sensors can achieve the high accuracy calibration of 10−3 magnitude. Radiance comparison experiments between the TR and the radiance standard of the National Institute of Metrology (NIM) were carried out to demonstrate the absolute accuracy of the TR radiance measurement. At 780.0 nm and 851.9 nm, the relative measurement uncertainties of the TR filter-free channel were 0.24% (k = 1). Additionally, the radiance measurement results of the TR were consistent with those of the NIM radiance meter, and the radiance measurement results’ relative differences between the TR and the NIM radiance meter were approximately 0.04% at 780.0 nm and 851.9 nm. The relative measurement uncertainties of TR 780.4 nm and 851.8 nm filter channels were 0.89% (k = 1) and 0.84% (k = 1), respectively. Additionally, the radiance measurement results of the TR 780.4 nm and 851.8 nm filter channels were consistent with the radiances of the integrating sphere source calibrated by the NIM at 780.4 nm and 851.8 nm; the relative differences between the radiances measured by the two TR filter channels and the radiances of the integrating sphere source itself were better than 0.56%. This proved that the TR could measure the monochromatic source radiance with a measurement uncertainty of 0.24% and measure the broadband source radiance with a measurement uncertainty better than 0.89%. The TR can be applied to the radiometric benchmark transfer chain to improve the measurement precision of on-orbit remote-sensing instruments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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16 pages, 3361 KiB  
Article
Light Source Stability Issues and Measurements in Flux Calibrations for Space Gaze Camera
by Cui Lin, Ning Zhang, Tianyi Zhang, Jing Luo, Jianing Zheng and Xiaohui Zhang
Photonics 2022, 9(12), 976; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9120976 - 12 Dec 2022
Viewed by 1921
Abstract
Flux calibration is an important test item in laboratory calibration experiments of space gaze cameras, which is the basis for obtaining high-precision scientific application data. In the flux calibration of a space gaze camera, the multi-field calibration method is adopted. The instability of [...] Read more.
Flux calibration is an important test item in laboratory calibration experiments of space gaze cameras, which is the basis for obtaining high-precision scientific application data. In the flux calibration of a space gaze camera, the multi-field calibration method is adopted. The instability of the calibration light source will introduce uncertainty during the calibration process. When the spatial camera adopts the gaze imaging mode, the stability of the light source indicates the change in the total energy received by the image plane during the gaze time, which is characterized by relative uncertainty. When the luminous intensity standard lamp runs for the long-term calibration of the stability of the calibration light source, real-time performance and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, it is proposed to use a photodetector to measure the stability of the calibration light source for long-term and real-time accurate measurements. First, the stability of the photodetector is calibrated using the light emitting diode; then, the stability of the calibration light source is measured using the photodetector; finally, the stability uncertainty of the calibration light source and the measurement uncertainty of the method is evaluated. The results of the simulation analysis and experimental verification indicate that the gaze time is 5 min and the sampling frequency of the photodetector is 15 Hz; for example, when the flux calibration time is 8 h, the stability uncertainty of the calibration source is 0.42%, and the relative measurement uncertainty is 0.01%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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14 pages, 4703 KiB  
Article
Design Method of Freeform Anamorphic Telescopes with an Ultrawide Field of View
by Yi Shi, Yuquan Zheng, Chao Lin, Zhenhua Ji, Jialun Zhang, Yanxue Han, Longfei Tian and Denghui Hu
Photonics 2022, 9(11), 836; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9110836 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1757
Abstract
An anamorphic telescope has different magnifications in the tangential and sagittal directions, and it can be applied to atmospheric remote sensing satellites to effectively improve the spectral sampling rate. However, the initial structure of an anamorphic system is rare and its optimization requires [...] Read more.
An anamorphic telescope has different magnifications in the tangential and sagittal directions, and it can be applied to atmospheric remote sensing satellites to effectively improve the spectral sampling rate. However, the initial structure of an anamorphic system is rare and its optimization requires extensive experience, which brings a challenge to the design of anamorphic telescopes. In this study, we propose a design method that is effective in obtaining the initial structure of an anamorphic system and discuss the conversion relationship between the Biconic surface and the XY polynomial surface. The XY polynomial provides design capabilities with an ultrawide field of view (FOV). With this insight, an initial anamorphic system with XY polynomial surfaces is constructed as a good starting point for further ultrawide FOV optimization. Consequently, an off-axis freeform anamorphic telescope with a focal length of 34 mm × 68 mm, and an ultrawide FOV of 110° × 0.24° is designed as an example. The telescope is a Gregorian structure with two concave mirrors as anamorphic elements, and the simulated design exhibits excellent performance. The method provided in this study facilitates the design of remote sensing instruments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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19 pages, 7182 KiB  
Article
A Transmissive Imaging Spectrometer for Ground-Based Oxygen A-Band Radiance Observation
by Heng Wu, Junqing Wu, Nanxi Hu, Hang Cui, Pengfei Wu, Guanyu Lin, Diansheng Cao, Zihui Zhang, Yingqiu Shao and Bo Li
Photonics 2022, 9(10), 729; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics9100729 - 6 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1634
Abstract
The oxygen A-band (759–770 nm) is a commonly used band for atmospheric observations. The signal in this band has wide dynamic range and can be used to invert several atmospheric parameters, such as air pressure and atmospheric optical depth, at different altitudes. High-resolution [...] Read more.
The oxygen A-band (759–770 nm) is a commonly used band for atmospheric observations. The signal in this band has wide dynamic range and can be used to invert several atmospheric parameters, such as air pressure and atmospheric optical depth, at different altitudes. High-resolution oxygen A-band radiance imaging spectrometer (HARIS) is an imaging spectrometer that operates in the oxygen A-band, which is designed for the observation of the direct solar radiance that passes through the atmosphere. HARIS is a transmissive imaging spectrometer that uses a compact transmissive optical system combined with reflective grating spectroscopy, while an area scan CMOS detector is used as the photosensitive element for the observations. HARIS response is associated with the observed target through a calibration process, which uses a monochromator with a supercontinuum laser for the spectral calibration, an integrating sphere with a spectrophotometer for the radiometric calibration and a meridian for the geometric calibration is employed to correct for distortions. The calibration results show that HARIS has an average spectral resolution of 0.33 nm and a field-of-view of 3.085 × 0.03° with an average spatial sampling interval of 0.0138°. Finally, the performance of HARIS is verified through field tests, in which the solar radiance data with an average signal-to-noise ratio of 438.93 is obtained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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Review

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22 pages, 6914 KiB  
Review
A Review on Zernike Coefficient-Solving Algorithms (CSAs) Used for Integrated Optomechanical Analysis (IOA)
by Motong Hu, Yue Pan, Ning Zhang and Xiping Xu
Photonics 2023, 10(2), 177; https://doi.org/10.3390/photonics10020177 - 7 Feb 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3081
Abstract
An integrated optomechanical analysis (IOA) can predict the response of an optomechanical system to temperature, gravity, vibrations, and other local loadings; thus, the normal operation of instruments under special conditions is guaranteed. Zernike polynomials are the most popular for fitting the IOA-derived mechanical [...] Read more.
An integrated optomechanical analysis (IOA) can predict the response of an optomechanical system to temperature, gravity, vibrations, and other local loadings; thus, the normal operation of instruments under special conditions is guaranteed. Zernike polynomials are the most popular for fitting the IOA-derived mechanical deformation data. By solving the Zernike coefficients of all deformed optical surfaces, the relationship between aberrations and deformations can be further revealed. The process of IOA is summarized in this article. The principles of four primary Zernike coefficient-solving algorithms (CSAs) were expounded, and the corresponding applications are reviewed in detail, including the least squares method, the Gram–Schmidt orthogonalized method, the Householder transformation, and singular value decomposition (SVD). Artificial neural networks (ANNs) trained for solving a similar overdetermined set of equations are also discussed; an innovative Zernike CSA based on a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) was proposed, emphasizing its potential for Zernike CSA. The feasibility of the neural network method was verified by conducting experiments on the primary mirror of the front reflection system of a space camera. This review can provide references for the precise optimization of IOA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Optical Remote Sensor Design and Development)
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