Accession Number:
ADA478348
Title:
Photon Counting Chirped Amplitude Modulation Ladar
Descriptive Note:
Final technical rept. 16 Jan 2006-2008
Corporate Author:
ARMY RESEARCH LAB ADELPHI MD SENSORS AND ELECTRON DEVICES DIRECTORATE
Personal Author(s):
Report Date:
2008-03-01
Pagination or Media Count:
14.0
Abstract:
This work developed a method using Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode GM-APD photon counting detectors in the U.S. Army Research Laboratorys chirped amplitude modulation AM ladar receiver to yield sensitivities approaching the shot noise limit. Such sensitivities represent about four orders-of-magnitude improvement over the sensitivities of the currently used unity-gain, opto-electronic mixing metal-semiconductor-metal detectors. These sensitivity improvements may enable very compact, low power, eye-safe, andor long-range ladars with low cost, low bandwidth readout integrated circuits for foliage and camouflage penetration, target ID, manned and unmanned ground and air vehicle navigation, three-dimensional face recognition, battle damage assessment, and change detection. Variants of the chirped AM ladar using a GM-APD that is experimentally assembled and tested and the benefits of new single photon counting detector products to the chirped AM ladar architecture are discussed.
Descriptors:
Subject Categories:
- Electrical and Electronic Equipment
- Active and Passive Radar Detection and Equipment