Monostatic all-fiber scanning LADAR system

Area of Science:

• Optics and Photonics
• Laser Technology
• Sensing Systems

Background:

• Conventional scanning LADAR systems often face challenges with alignment, size, and power consumption.
• Bi-static configurations with polygon, galvo, or Risley-prism scanners can be complex and bulky.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact, efficient, and robust scanning LADAR system.
• To leverage a monostatic, fiber-coupled configuration for improved performance.

Main Methods:

• A fiber-coupled, monostatic LADAR system was designed using a piezo-electric actuator to vibrate a fiber cantilever tip.
• The system utilizes the same aperture for transmitting (TX) and receiving (RX) optical beams.
• A position-sensing detector (PSD) in two-photon absorption mode detected 1.5 μm pulses, sensing fiber tip position.

Main Results:

• The system achieved a scanning rate of 50,000 points per second with a 6° scan angle.
• A range precision of 4.7 mm was demonstrated, with a maximum operational range of 26 m.
• The monostatic design ensured inherent optical alignment, eliminating parallax issues.

Conclusions:

• The developed compact scanning LADAR system offers significant advantages in size, weight, power efficiency, and alignment.
• This novel approach provides a promising alternative to conventional LADAR scanning mechanisms.