Buried channel charge coupled device TV technology has had an impact on the DOD sensor community to date, and with the imminent arrival of the CCD camera modules (resulting from the NAVE LEX sponsored CCD Modular Camera Program) it is anticipated that this trend will greatly accelerate. The characteristics of a family of versatile electro-optical building blocks satisfying a wide environmental range is de-scribed. The modules discussed include lens/ALC assemblies, several high performance thermo-electric cooled hermetic CCD device enclosures (typically 0.7 cubic inches), various logic, video processor, power supply, high efficiency temperature control circuits mounted on conventional printed circuit cards employing customized hybrid/MSI components. A unique module which allows direct coupling of image intensifiers to CCD arrays without the use of a vacuum enclosure is described. It is seen that appropriate selection of modules coupled with customized packaging/interconnect hardware presents attractive low cost high reliability alternatives to the present design/procurement techniques now associated with DOD-type TV cameras. Several applications of this technique are discussed including a current airborne cockpit television system, a TV training/scoring system used with the TOW missile program and an E/O missile guidance CCD seeker head.

Date Published: 15 September 1978
PDF: 8 pages
Proc. SPIE 0143, Applications of Electronic Imaging Systems, (15 September 1978); doi: 10.1117/12.956543

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 0143:
Applications of Electronic Imaging Systems
Richard E. Franseen; Dieter K. Schroder, Editor(s)