Electric argon candle for range test illumination

Robert G. Root; Paul Falkos; Raymond B. Schaefer

doi:10.1117/12.294509

12 December 1997 Electric argon candle for range test illumination

Robert G. Root, Paul Falkos, Raymond B. Schaefer

Proceedings Volume 3173, Ultrahigh- and High-Speed Photography and Image-based Motion Measurement; (1997) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.294509
Event: Optical Science, Engineering and Instrumentation '97, 1997, San Diego, CA, United States

Abstract

High speed photography for range testing often requires intense disposable illumination sources. A low cost surface discharge source is being developed to replace argon candles for many range tests. Since the test environment will likely destroy the lamp, it is fabricated from inexpensive materials and does not require machining of any components. A series of tests were performed to determine the radiative output in the visible of candidate surface discharge lamps, and to clarify the illumination requirements. Tests using a range camera and a short pulse 100 cm² planar surface discharge determined that an irradiance of 600 W/cm² on target is sufficient for black and white photography at 2 million fps whereas color photography requires approximately 3 kW/cm². The results of the subscale tests have been used to guide development of a full scale pulse forming network (PFN) matched to a set of surface discharge lamps. The PFN delivers 12 kJ to the lamps in pulses that can range from 40 microseconds to 1 ms. The matching lamps have been developed and tested for pulse lengths as long as 200 microseconds.

Citation Download Citation

Robert G. Root, Paul Falkos, and Raymond B. Schaefer "Electric argon candle for range test illumination", Proc. SPIE 3173, Ultrahigh- and High-Speed Photography and Image-based Motion Measurement, (12 December 1997); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.294509

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