APPARATUS FOR IMAGE MULTISPECTRAL SENSING EMPLOYING ADDRESSABLE SPATIAL MASK

An apparatus for spectral detection of remote objects. The apparatus consists of an input optic which focuses the field of view onto an image receiving surface consisting of an addressable spatial mask. The mask sequentially projects portions of the scene onto a diffractive optical element which focuses onto a photodetector array. The first image receiving surface of mask is partitioned into independently addressable and controllable subsurfaces, or gates, adapted to receive an electronic control signal from a programmable control signal generator. Each gate in the receiving mask directs a portion of the image incident thereon to a diffractive lens in response to a control signal communicated thereto. This gated image is dispersed by the diffractive lens and focused upon the photosensitive surface of a photodetector array. The photodetector array is partitioned into pixels having a number in ratio to the gates in the addressable mask. The signal output of a pixel within the optical path of the dispersed gated light is sampled and stored in a signal processor. A control signal generator sequentially or randomly addresses each gate in the mask causing the gate to direct that portion of the image thereon to the diffractive lens. The output signal from each pixel on the photodetector array corresponding to the addressed gate in the mask is sampled and stored until the entire image is recorded. This process is repeated as the diffractive optic is scanned through the spectral range of interest. The mask provides enhanced spectral and spatial resolution of the scene.