Kilometer-range, high resolution depth imaging via 1560 nm wavelength single-photon detection

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Quantum Sensing
• Imaging Technologies

Background:

• Time-of-flight (ToF) depth imaging is crucial for various applications.
• Achieving high resolution at long distances, especially in daylight, remains a challenge.
• Existing ToF systems often require high optical power or are limited by detector performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a novel ToF depth imaging system with centimeter resolution at kilometer distances.
• To showcase the capabilities of a scanning transceiver incorporating a superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD).
• To enable robust depth imaging of low-signature objects under typical daylight conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a scanning transceiver with a free-running, low-noise SNSPD.
• Operated at the eye-safe wavelength of 1560 nm.
• Employed millisecond-regime per-pixel dwell times with low average optical power (<250 µW).

Main Results:

• Achieved centimeter-resolution depth images of objects at ~1 km stand-off distances.
• Demonstrated successful imaging in daylight conditions.
• The SNSPD exhibited 18% efficiency at 1 kHz dark count rate with ~100 ps system jitter.

Conclusions:

• The developed ToF system represents a significant advancement in long-range, high-resolution depth imaging.
• The use of SNSPDs integrated into scanning transceivers offers a promising path for future imaging technologies.
• This technology has potential applications in surveillance, autonomous systems, and remote sensing.