Fused fiber optic devices are bundles of glass optical fibers that have been successively bundled and drawn to smaller and smaller sizes, effectively creating a “zero optical path window”. Due to the nature of fiber’s clad and core design, pixelization or sampling of the resulting image occurs; this sampling fundamentally degrades the image. Degradation of a resulting image caused by an optical system can be quantified by way of its Modulation Transfer Function. However, since fused fiber optic devices first sample then effectively project the original image, they do not meet the Fourier transform’s prerequisite conditions of being linear and isoplanatic. Current technologies at SCHOTT Lighting and Imaging have initiated a study to determine methodology for measuring the sampled modulation transfer function of bonded assemblies such as bonded Faceplate-to-OLED and Faceplate-tosensor assemblies. The use of randomly generated targets imaged through the bonded assemblies proved to be a useful tactic. This paper discusses the test methods developed and subsequent measurement of the sampled modulation transfer function of fused fiber optic bundles and bonded assemblies.

Date Published: 16 May 2013
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 8735, Head- and Helmet-Mounted Displays XVIII: Design and Applications, 873507 (16 May 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2021168

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8735:
Head- and Helmet-Mounted Displays XVIII: Design and Applications
Peter L. Marasco; Paul R. Havig, Editor(s)