Texas Instruments (TI) Digital Micromirror Device (DMD) is a micro-electromechanical system
(MEMS) which has a 2-D array of individually controlled aluminum micro-mirrors. The DMD is
the spatial light modulator in TI's Digital Light Processing (DLP®) system. DLPs® are manufactured
by TI and sold to OEMs for use in display products such as business projection systems. DMDs
are currently commercially available in formats up to 1280x1024. Each micromirror in the DMD
can reflect light in one of two directions (±20° optical) depending upon the state
of the underlying memory cell (SRAM). With proper illumination, each mirror will reflect light
into the pupil of the optical system when a '1' is written to its SRAM and out of the optical
system when a '0' is written to its SRAM. The device is therefore binary in nature. The switching
speed on the individual mirrors is approximately 10 usec. In commercially available visible
projector systems, intensity control is achieved by binary Pulse Width Modulation (PWM). The
binary image on the array can be updated at a rate of approximately 5000 Hz, and a global reset
allows the entire image to be cleared in less than 20 usec.
OSC has developed two unique DMD-based IR projectors. These commercially available systems
are the:
Micro-Mirror Array Projector System (MAPS): This system is a standalone
dynamic infrared projector capable of generating realistic IR images for advanced
testing of IR seekers, sensors, and FLIRS. Applications of the projector include
hardware-in-the-loop testing, portable test sets, built-in testing, production line
testing and training. The MAPS is capable of operating in two modes: flickerless binary
and PWM. In binary mode, the projector is virtually flickerless, with only a brief reset
occurring each frame to prevent hinge memory in the micromirrors. The projector is
compact and can be produced at a low-cost compared to other IR projector
technologies.
Dynamic Sensor Test Set (DSTS): This system is designed for automated
high speed testing of visible and IR sensors. The DSTS is designed to replace the
static target plates and choppers used on industry-standard test collimators. The
DSTS is capable of performing standard tests such as MTF, MRTD, and NEDT at very high
speed, as well as advanced dynamic tests such as seeker tracking and correlation. The
DSTS is a dynamic scene projector which can be operated in binary or PWM mode.
Applications of the projector include any sensor test application which currently uses
static test plates, but needs higher speed or dynamic scene capability.