Optimization of sensor arrays for beam position estimation

P. A. SORICHETTI; C. L. MATTEO; A. J. MARZOCCA

SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL

Elsevier

Año: 2000 vol. 87 p. 11 - 18

0924-4247

A design procedure is presented to optimize linear arrays of sensors for the estimation of the position of an incident beam. The procedure is based on the adjustment of the position and gain of the elements of the array in order to approximate the desired response in the least squares sense.. The optimization takes into account the shape of the beam profile, and provides adequate results for a wide range of beam diameters. An application is made to a linear array of circular sensors illuminated by a beam with a rectangular profile. Optimized designs are given for arrays of 2, 4 and 6 sensors. The experimental results were in good agreement with the calculations. The relative error was found to be less than "2% and the performance of the system was insensitive to background light.