Translational Doppler detection using direct‐detect chirped amplitude‐modulated laser radar

Translational Doppler detection using a direct-detect, chirped, amplitude-modulated LADAR is demonstrated. A nonoptically coherent system is utilized to lower the target-induced Doppler shift to tens of Hz, as opposed to several hundreds of megahertz for a coherent LADAR design. The Doppler shift is imposed on both the laser carrier and the intensity modulation impressed on the laser carrier. The data indicate that the LADAR is able to measure the Doppler shift due to the translational motion of a moving target. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 43: 358–363, 2004; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20469