title: Photophysics of laser dye-doped polymer membranes for laser-induced fluorescence photogrammetry.
abstract: Laser-induced fluorescence target generation in dye-doped polymer films has recently been introduced as a promising alternative to more traditional photogrammetric targeting techniques for surface profiling of highly transparent or reflective membrane structures. We investigate the photophysics of these dye-doped polymers to help determine their long-term durability and suitability for laser-induced fluorescence photogrammetric targeting. These investigations included experimental analysis of the fluorescence emission pattern, spectral content, temporal lifetime, linearity, and half-life. Results are presented that reveal an emission pattern wider than normal Lambertian diffuse surface scatter, a fluorescence time constant of 6.6 ns, a pump saturation level of approximately 20 microJ/mm2, and a useful lifetime of more than 300,000 measurements. Furthermore, two demonstrations of photogrammetric measurements by laser-induced fluorescence targeting are presented, showing agreement between photogrammetric and physically measured dimensions within the measurement scatter of 100 microm.
authors.affiliation: NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia 23681, USA. a.dorrington@waikato.ac.nz
authors.forename: Adrian A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Dorrington
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Danehy