Engineering Design Handbook - Infrared Military Systems, Part One:

Presented in this 1971 Handbook are the basic information and fundamental principles essential to the design and development of infrared systems for military applications. The material is presented in a form which will be most useful to the graduate engineer who must become informed about the technology and operational performance of IR systems. This Handbook is also intended to aid the professional engineer concerned with the design and development of new systems. The material is organized in a logical structure which will result in maximum usefulness of the information. The reader is introduced to the fundamental elements of IR radiation, the basic laws governing the nature of infrared radiation and transmission. The target and background infrared signatures are then outlined, and the techniques for signal detection and background discrimination are described. Each discrete element of the conventional IR system is discussed including optics, detectors, signal-processing electronics, and associated support systems. Passive as well as active IR systems presently in existence are described. Design considerations and optimization techniques are presented.