Retroreflecting chaff for laser defense

Abstract

Chaff is provided for deployment from an aerial platform for retro-reflecting electromagnetic radiation projected to the platform. The chaff includes a plurality of retro-reflecting particles, with each particle being a retro-reflector. The plurality forms a cloud having aerial buoyancy. The particles can be a corner reflector with adjacent sides substantially perpendicular to one another, and in particular a trihedral corner reflector. Alternatively, the particles can be lens reflectors, such as a cat's eye. In addition, chaff is provided for deployment from an aerial platform for retro-reflecting electromagnetic radiation projected to the platform. The chaff includes a plurality of retro-reflecting particles and a substrate. Each particle of the plurality is a retro-reflector. The substrate attaches the plurality of particles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.