Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Shaping the Amplitude and Phase of Laser Beams by Using a Phase-only Spatial Light Modulator
Published on: January 28, 2019
Laser system range calculations and the Lambert W function
1Department of Optronic Systems, Division of Sensor Systems, Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), Box 1165, 581 11 Linköping, Sweden. oveste@foi.se
Abstract:
The knowledge of range performance versus atmospheric transmission, often given by the visibility, is critical for the design, use, and prediction of laser and passive electro-optic systems. I present a solution of the ladar-lidar equation based on Lambert's W function. This solution will reveal the dependence of the maximum range on the system and target parameters for different atmospheric attenuations and will also allow us to take the signal statistics into account by studying the influence on the threshold signal-to-noise ratio. The method is also applicable to many range calculations for passive systems where the atmospheric loss can be approximated by an exponential term.
Related Concept Videos
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Beer–Lambert Law
Surface Area Calculations
Lines in Space
Polar Coordinates: Problem Solving
Raman Spectroscopy Instrumentation: Overview
The monochromatic laser source, typically using visible or near-infrared radiation, generates a highly focused beam of light. This light interacts with the molecules of the sample, scattering some of the light. Liquid and gaseous samples are usually tested in ordinary glass capillaries, while solids can be analyzed as powders packed in capillaries or as potassium...
Bewley Lattice Diagram

