Optimal heterodyne detector array size for 1-microm coherent lidar propagation through atmospheric turbulence

The heterodyne detection efficiency for a 1-microm coherent atmospheric backscatter lidar was numerically calculated using a Monte Carlo technique which included a simple model for the effects of atmospheric turbulence. The results show that the heterodyne detection efficiency of a single-element detector is severely reduced by the effects of atmospheric turbulence, but that the use of an appropriate sized, multiple-element heterodyne detector array can overcome these effects. In addition, the statistical fluctuation (signal-to-noise ratio) of the lidar signal was also calculated and showed that the use of a heterodyne detector array can increase the accuracy to that for direct detection.