Target Designation

Pockels Cell Drivers:

AMI designs and manufactures Pockels cell drivers for military, medical and other applications. Fast, reliable, high voltage switching in compact form factors is achieved using multiple technologies. AMI’s 820/8200 Series Pockels cell drivers are available as PCB assemblies for installation into small areas as well as in packages designed to withstand the rugged environment of airborne military applications. Drivers can be built to hi-reliability military standards. Custom designs are available for OEM applications.

Capacitor Charging Power Supplies:

For flashlamp pumping, Analog Modules manufactures a variety of high power density capacitor charging power supplies and pulsed driver products. These products are used in a number of military programs for applications including ground and airborne target designation, tank-mounted laser rangefinding, and missile borne illumination for terrain mapping.

Each product is designed to a unique specification to meet the customer’s individual packaging and performance needs. AMI’s vast experience in this field has led to capacitor charging power supply designs that provide extremely high power densities that are very lightweight, yet still meet the demanding shock and vibration requirements of military applications. AMI products also meet the high and low temperature requirements of MIL-STD-810 and other pertinent military standards. Products can be configured for power inputs ranging from low voltage DC (3.3 V battery, 18-21 VDC with super imposed transients, etc.) to 115 VAC, 400 Hz, 1 Ø, for aircraft deployed applications.

AMI designs and manufactures complete pulsed flashlamp driver systems. These products can include integrated capacitor charging power modules with complete pulse-forming networks, high-speed switching elements, lamp ignition circuits, and control electronics. Resulting systems can provide fixed or variable pulse width operation optimized for various pulse energy and pulse repetition rate combinations. Options can include pseudo-simmering, soft-start current limiting, Q-Switch trigger outputs, and microprocessor control. AMI’s extensive experience in pulsed laser systems has again been employed to develop designs that are simple in concept for ruggedness and reliability, yet clever in implementation for high-density packaging and high efficiency.

High Power Laser Diode Drivers:

AMI offers a complete line of laser diode driver systems and modules for military applications including direct illumination and diode pumping. Patented techniques allow such products to generate narrow, high-power pulses at high repetition rates and/or CW output in the smallest footprints available.

AMI has developed numerous diode driver designs in a variety of packages for easy integration into customer platforms. Diode driver products provide safety features such as feedback current control, over current/voltage protection, enable/inhibit, and dump circuit functions to prevent damage to laser diodes.

For applications requiring turn-key operation, AMI offers the 8800D Series Microprocessor Controlled Laser Diode Controller for pulsed applications and the 880D Series Laser Controller for CW applications. Both feature external control through an RS-232 interface.

Laser Spot Tracking / Target Locating Modules

Laser Spot Tracker Module:

AMI’s engineers have been involved in the design of electronics for laser spot tracker electronics since 1968. These designs have been proven in the Jaguar, Harrier, F16, F/A-18, and MRCA aircraft. AMI has also developed seeker modules for “Star Wars” programs. Patents held in this field include target identification method and tracker receiver design. Systems have been developed for “bang-bang” steering data and linear processing for proportional amplitude control.

AMI has developed an easy-to-use computer simulation that allows rapid optimization of spot tracker electronics for specific applications. The software allows input of pertinent design parameters, calculates critical output parameters, and graphically illustrates receiver power as a function of range.

Presently AMI is involved in next generation tracker module designs using micro-miniature parts. These new designs will result in higher performance, smaller size and reduced cost.

SPOTTR:

SPOTTR (Stabilized Portable Optical Target Tracking Receiver) allows forward observers to detect and decode reflected energy from airborne or ground-based laser designators at ranges to 20 km.

Visual confirmation greatly increases the assurance that ordnance will be delivered to the intended target, which is critical when friendly forces are nearby in a close air support environment. Combat capability is increased by reducing the time for target confirmation and minimizing targeting errors that can result in fratricide or collateral damage.

SPOTTR incorporates a quadrant laser spot tracker module developed by Analog Modules, Inc. into a widely deployed gyro-stabilized binocular manufactured by Fraser Optics LLC (formerly Fraser-Volpe LLC).