NEODYMIUM YAG LASER FOR OPTICAL RADAR APPLICATIONS,

The development of the NdYAG laser resulted in a relatively simple NdYAG device with characteristics worthly of optical radar feasibility studies over short ranges, the results of which are presented here. The requirements includes the NdYAG laser as the transmitter, telescope optics for beam collimation, telescope optics to collect returning signals, a photomultiplier to process the signals and an oscilloscope to display the information. The design of each unit or component will be fixed by the laser characteristics and to some extent by the intended application i.e. simple range data as compared to range rate data. The analysis or design of any radar system inevitably involves a radar range equation in one form or other. This approach is applicable to laser radars and has been used by many people under the assumption of having diffuse targets and constant atmospheric parameters. The results, whicl only approximations, are of acknowledged use and are developed here. Author