A technology of deposition of a single-layer PbF2 coating, antireflecting for the CO2 laser radiation, on diamond substrates is developed. As substrates, use is made of plates of polycrystalline CND diamond. The transmission coefficient of diamond plates with two-side coating attains 98.5%-99%. The measured laser-induced damage threshold of such plates under normal environment conditions for the pulsed (tau similar to 100 us) and continuous-wave radiation of CO2 lasers amounts to 250 and 4 MW cm(-2), respectively. These values arc comparable with the thresholds of the diamond substrate damage. The increase in the damage threshold of the AR coating under continuous-wave irradiation to 5.5 MW cm(-2) is found in the case of preliminary multiple irradiation of samples by weaker laser pulses. This effect can be explained by the pollutant removal from the surface of the film without its damage (laser cleaning effect).

A multilayer antireflection coating for diamond optics that allows work in the infrared spectral range of 8 - 12 mu m with minimal optical losses is developed. The optical transmittance of a chemical vapour deposition diamond plate coated with this film on both sides exceeds 94% over the whole specified wavelength range. The coatings deposited on the diamond plate were damage-tested by coherent-wave and pulsed (tau = 90 ns) CO2 lasers. Results of the tests demonstrated that the coating can withstand prolonged radiation loads with intensity above 3 MW cm(-2) in a continuous-mode laser exposure. In the case of a nanosecond pulsed action, destruction of the coating begins at intensities greater than 50 MW cm(-2).

Results of calculations for the luminous intensity from light emitting diode (LED) lights necessary for reliable visual detection of runway (RW) lights in real operational conditions are presented. The following groups of RW LED lights are considered: approach threshold lights, lights of the last 600 m of the runway, and runway end lights. Threshold levels of detection have been chosen. The effectiveness of RW LED lights is analyzed in different weather conditions during the night, at twilight, and in the daytime, and questions of a stepped adjustment of LED light radiation intensities in accordance with ICAO standards are considered.

The paper presents calculation results obtained for the laser landing system (LLS) efficiency on the base of determining minimum required scattered radiation fluxes from fixed extended landmarks (FELs) which are LLS indicators in the case of visual FEL detection in real operational conditions. It is shown that the minimum required powers for a reliable detection of course glide beams in night conditions from distances L ≈ 1.0–1.6 km at meteorological visibility S m = 800 m are P min = 0.5 W for λ = 0.52 and 0.64 µm for deviations from the glide path to the angle φ = 0°–5°. In twilight conditions, green and red laser beams are visible from distances L = 1–1.2 km. The performed calculations corroborated the possibility of creating a new generation laser-based LLS capable of ensuring aircraft landing in conditions of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) category 1.

A special optoelectronic measuring and recording instrument with fully developed procedural and metrological base for use in determining the optical characteristics of standard moving and stationary objects that emit and reflect light in the ultraviolet and down to the far-infrared regions of the spectrum is considered. Results of experimental studies of the background-target characteristics of different objects for the spectral range 0.2–15 μm are presented.