GTRI Signature Technology Laboratory
Encyclopedia
The Signature Technology Laboratory (STL) is one of eight labs in the Georgia Tech Research Institute
. STL conducts research and development in four technical areas: electromagnetic
materials and structures, electromagnetic aperture
s and scattering, optical
and infrared physics and phenomenology, and secure information systems
.
of objects under observation by sophisticated sensor systems.
The laboratory maintains an extensive numerical modeling and measurement capability for the design and development of thin, broadband antennas
with tailored performance and controlled impedance
surfaces for management/control of signature characteristics of systems and components. Numerical modeling has recently been extended to nano- and micro-magnetics phenomena with emphasis placed on modeling of nano particle nonlinear magnetics (NPNM). Novel techniques for correlating optical and infrared scattering properties with material composition have been developed and modeled for application to paint and photographic film characterization, optical signature control, and the evaluation of sensors and image based tracking algorithms.
STL maintains and operates extensive facilities for optical measurements specializing in laser and white light scatterometry
, electromagnetic materials characterization, radar cross section measurements, antenna characterization, and computational electromagnetics. The secure information systems work is nationally recognized for the design, development, and deployment of enterprise information systems requiring state-of-the-art database, platform, and Internet security.
Georgia Tech Research Institute
The Georgia Tech Research Institute is the nonprofit applied research arm of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, United States...
. STL conducts research and development in four technical areas: electromagnetic
Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...
materials and structures, electromagnetic aperture
Aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
s and scattering, optical
Optical physics
Optical physics, or optical science, is a subfield of atomic, molecular, and optical physics. It is the study of the generation of electromagnetic radiation, the properties of that radiation, and the interaction of that radiation with matter, especially its manipulation and control...
and infrared physics and phenomenology, and secure information systems
Information security
Information security means protecting information and information systems from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, perusal, inspection, recording or destruction....
.
Research areas
STL's main focus is the development of technologies for the management and control of multi-spectral signaturesSpectral signature
Spectral Signatures are the specific combination of reflected and absorbed electromagnetic radiation at varying wavelengths which can uniquely identify an object. The spectral signature of stars indicates the spectrum according to the EM spectrum...
of objects under observation by sophisticated sensor systems.
The laboratory maintains an extensive numerical modeling and measurement capability for the design and development of thin, broadband antennas
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
with tailored performance and controlled impedance
Electrical impedance
Electrical impedance, or simply impedance, is the measure of the opposition that an electrical circuit presents to the passage of a current when a voltage is applied. In quantitative terms, it is the complex ratio of the voltage to the current in an alternating current circuit...
surfaces for management/control of signature characteristics of systems and components. Numerical modeling has recently been extended to nano- and micro-magnetics phenomena with emphasis placed on modeling of nano particle nonlinear magnetics (NPNM). Novel techniques for correlating optical and infrared scattering properties with material composition have been developed and modeled for application to paint and photographic film characterization, optical signature control, and the evaluation of sensors and image based tracking algorithms.
STL maintains and operates extensive facilities for optical measurements specializing in laser and white light scatterometry
Scatterometer
A radar scatterometer is designed to determine the normalized radar cross section of the surface. Scatterometers operate by transmitting a pulse of microwave energy towards the Earth's surface and measuring the reflected energy. A separate measurement of the noise-only power is made and...
, electromagnetic materials characterization, radar cross section measurements, antenna characterization, and computational electromagnetics. The secure information systems work is nationally recognized for the design, development, and deployment of enterprise information systems requiring state-of-the-art database, platform, and Internet security.