Imaging Q-switched CO2 laser radar with heterodyne detection: design and evaluation.

A Q-switched CO2 laser radar with heterodyne detection has been designed and evaluated. A simplified theory has been used to optimize the Q-switched laser for high-resolution ranging. The return signal statistics from diffuse, glint, and topographical targets have been investigated, and statistical distributions have been fitted to the experimental data. Detection of specific targets in laser radar images using range gating has also been studied.

[1]  N Menyuk,et al.  Experimental comparison of heterodyne and direct detection for pulsed differential absorption CO2 lidar. , 1983, Applied optics.

[2]  Laboratory target reflectance measurements for coherent laser radar applications. , 1984, Applied optics.

[3]  P. Flamant,et al.  Evidence for speckle effects on pulsed CO2 lidar signal returns from remote targets. , 1984, Applied optics.

[4]  S. J. Thomas,et al.  Rotational relaxation rate constants for CO2 , 1974 .

[5]  K. Gürs,et al.  Breitband-modulation durch steuerung der emission eines optischen masers (Auskoppelmodulation) , 1963 .

[6]  R. Fante.  Electromagnetic beam propagation in turbulent media , 1975, Proceedings of the IEEE.

[7]  J C Wyant,et al.  Computer generated hologram; null lens test of aspheric wavefronts. , 1974, Applied optics.

[8]  D Letalick,et al.  Target and atmospheric influence on coherent CO2 laser radar performance. , 1986, Applied optics.

[9]  Robert C. Harney.  Dual Active/Passive Infrared Imaging Systems , 1981 .

[10]  Ove Steinvall,et al.  Performance Study Of A Coherent Laser Radar , 1983, Other Conferences.

[11]  Paul Pace,et al.  Field Measurements with a Coherent Transversely Excited Atmospheric CO2 Laser Radar , 1983, Other Conferences.

[12]  F. Goodwin,et al.  Intracavity CdTe modulators for CO 2 lasers , 1971 .

[13]  J H Shapiro,et al.  Imaging and target detection with a heterodyne-reception optical radar. , 1981, Applied optics.

[14]  J. Goodman.  Statistical Properties of Laser Speckle Patterns , 1963 .

[15]  M. Taylor,et al.  Pulsed CO(2) TEA laser rangefinder. , 1978, Applied optics.

[16]  J. Degnan,et al.  Optical antenna gain. 2:receiving antennas. Errata. , 1974, Applied optics.

[17]  B. S. Collins,et al.  A CO2 laser rangefinder using heterodyne detection and chirp pulse compression , 1981 .

[18]  J. Degnan,et al.  Optical antenna gain. 2: receiving antennas. , 1974, Applied optics.

[19]  J M Cruickshank,et al.  Transversely excited atmospheric CO(2) laser radar with heterodyne detection. , 1979, Applied optics.

[20]  G M Carter,et al.  Electrooptically Q-switched CO(2) waveguide laser. , 1979, Applied optics.