Design and evolution of the EEU-2/P PLZT/TFPD goggles to meet USAF life support requirements

A group of seven papers were presented by different authors during a panel on Life Support Equipment, utilizing the EEU-2/P thermal-flash protective goggles as the example, and covering the topics of life support requirements, material discovery, device concepts, design, development, testing, operational utilization, and spin-off applications. This paper was fourth in the group. It discusses the PLZT/TFPD EEU-2/P goggles development, beginning with earliest device concepts and ending with production design. It includes descriptions of early prototypes and the evolution of the helmet-mounted design. The environmental and operational constraints are reviewed, beginning with the state-of-the art goals established in the original Scope of Work between the USAF and DOE (then the AEC). Particular emphasis is given to those developments which were technology-limited, including PLZT processing, electroding techniques, bonding of the lens assembly, polarizer development, and electronics.