Global noise characteristics of a laser Doppler vibrometer—I. Theory

Abstract The use of a laser Doppler vibrometer to obtain velocity information from vibrating structures has gained wide acceptance in recent years. Although use of such an instrument can yield a spatially dense matrix of velocity information, several users have noted ‘noise’ at certain points in the spatial field. The technique by which the SLDV system operates results in occasional velocity ‘drop-outs’ which are unidirectional, always estimating the velocity response closer to zero than reality. These ‘drop-out’ areas occur more predominately at points of maximum velocity response with small rotational components. Alternatively, points exhibiting minimum velocity response with large rotational components are less susceptible to the ‘noise’. In this paper, an experiment to visualize the speckle pattern motions received by the photodetectors during these vibration conditions is presented. Theories regarding the source(s) of the ‘noise’ are developed.