Research progess on scannerless ladar systems using a laser diode transmitter and FM/cw radar principles

Barry L. Stann; Ahmed Abou-Auf; Scott Frankel; Mark M. Giza; William Potter; William C. Ruff; Paul H. Shen; Deborah R. Simon; Michael R. Stead; Zoltan G. Sztankay; Luke F. Lester

doi:10.1117/12.440102

19 September 2001 Research progess on scannerless ladar systems using a laser diode transmitter and FM/cw radar principles

Barry L. Stann, Ahmed Abou-Auf, Scott Frankel, Mark M. Giza, William Potter, William C. Ruff, Paul H. Shen, Deborah R. Simon, Michael R. Stead, Zoltan G. Sztankay, Luke F. Lester

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 4377, Laser Radar Technology and Applications VI; (2001) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.440102
Event: Aerospace/Defense Sensing, Simulation, and Controls, 2001, Orlando, FL, United States

Abstract

The Army Research Laboratory is researching scannerless ladar systems for smart munition and reconnaissance applications. Here we report on progress attained over the past year related to the systems architectures, component development, and test results of the scannerless ladars. The imaging system architectures achieve ranging based on a frequency modulation/continuous wave technique implemented by directly amplitude modulation a near-IR diode laser transmitter with a radio frequency subcarrier that is linearly frequency modulated. The diode's output is collected and projected to from an illumination field in the downrange image area. The returned signal is focused onto an array of metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) detectors where it is detected and mixed with a delayed replica of the laser modulation signal that modulates the responsivity of each detector. The output of each detector is an intermediate frequency signal whose frequency is proportional to the target range. This IF signal is continuously sampled over each period of the rf modulation. Following this, an N channel signal processor based-on field-programmable gate arrays calculates the discrete Fourier transform over the IF waveform in each pixel to establish the ranges to all the scatterers and their respective amplitudes. Over the past year, we have continued development of laser illuminators at .8 and 1.55 micrometers , built 1D self-mixing MSM detector arrays at .8 and 1.55 micrometers and built an N channel FPGA signal processor for high-speed formation of range gates. In this paper we report on the development and performance of these components and the results of system test conducted in the laboratory.

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Barry L. Stann, Ahmed Abou-Auf, Scott Frankel, Mark M. Giza, William Potter, William C. Ruff, Paul H. Shen, Deborah R. Simon, Michael R. Stead, Zoltan G. Sztankay, and Luke F. Lester "Research progess on scannerless ladar systems using a laser diode transmitter and FM/cw radar principles", Proc. SPIE 4377, Laser Radar Technology and Applications VI, (19 September 2001); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.440102

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