Near-infrared, visible, and ultraviolet lidar echo emulator

Area of Science:

• Optical Engineering
• Remote Sensing Instrumentation
• Lidar Technology

Background:

• Lidar systems require precise echo simulation for testing and calibration.
• Existing methods for emulating lidar returns can be complex or lack versatility.
• The need for a compact, cost-effective solution for simulating diverse lidar echo profiles is critical.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and manufacture a compact and cost-effective lidar echo emulator (LEE).
• To develop a device capable of generating overlapping short (nanosecond) and long (microsecond) lidar echoes.
• To provide a versatile tool for testing and calibrating near-infrared, visible, and ultraviolet lidar systems.

Main Methods:

• A breadboard-scale application-specific optical pulse shaper was designed and constructed.
• Variable attenuators were employed for coarse power tuning of echo signals.
• The LEE was configured to operate in three distinct modes: short echo only, long echo only, or overlapped short and long echoes.

Main Results:

• The LEE successfully generated overlapping ns and µs range lidar echoes with repetition rates from 100 Hz to 500 Hz.
• Short echo power levels ranged from 0.2-200 nW, while long echo powers spanned 0.1-25 pW.
• In overlapping mode, the power difference between the short and long echoes exceeded 60 dB, demonstrating significant dynamic range.

Conclusions:

• The developed LEE is a compact, cost-effective solution for simulating complex lidar echo signals.
• The device's ability to generate overlapped echoes with a large power difference is crucial for advanced lidar system testing.
• This emulator provides a valuable tool for research and development in lidar applications across NIR-VIS-UV spectra.