Self-mixing detector candidates for an FM/cw ladar architecture

Ruff, William C.; Bruno, John D.; Kennerly, Stephen W.; Ritter, K. J.; Shen, Paul H.; Stann, Barry L.; Stead, Michael; Sztankay, Zoltan G.; Tobin, M. S.

doi:10.1117/12.397787

Cited by 33 publications

(16 citation statements)

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“…An array of OE-mixing MSM detectors is located at the focal plane of the receiver optics 4,5 . When the transmitter modulation waveform (local oscillator (LO) voltage) is applied across the OE-mixing detectors, a photocurrent response is recovered at each detector that is the product or mixing of the LO and the modulated light waveforms.…”

Section: Laboratory Breadboard Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Research progress on a focal plane array ladar system using chirped amplitude modulation

et al. 2003

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The Army Research Laboratory is researching a focal plane array (FPA) ladar architecture that is applicable for smart munitions, reconnaissance, face recognition, robotic navigation, etc.. Here we report on progress and test results attained over the past year related to the construction of a 32x32 pixel FPA ladar laboratory breadboard. The near-term objective of this effort is to evaluate and demonstrate an FPA ladar using chirped amplitude modulation; knowledge gained will then be used to build a field testable version with a larger array format. The ladar architecture achieves ranging based on a frequency modulation/continuous wave technique implemented by directly amplitude modulating a near-IR diode laser transmitter with a radio frequency (rf) subcarrier that is linearly frequency modulated (chirped amplitude modulation). The diode's output is collected and projected to form an illumination field in the downrange image area. The returned signal is focused onto an array of optoelectronic mixing, metal-semiconductor-metal detectors where it is detected and mixed with a delayed replica of the laser modulation signal that modulates the responsivity of each detector. The output of each detector is an intermediate frequency (IF) signal resulting from the mixing process whose frequency is proportional to the target range. This IF signal is continuously sampled over a period of the rf modulation. Following this, a signal processor calculates the discrete fast Fourier transform over the IF waveform in each pixel to establish the ranges and amplitudes of all scatterers.

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Section: Laboratory Breadboard Architecturementioning

confidence: 99%

Research progress on a focal plane array ladar system using chirped amplitude modulation

et al. 2003

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“…An array of "self-mixing" detectors is located at the focal plane of the receiver optics 4,5 . When the transmitter modulation waveform (local oscillator (LO) voltage) is applied across the "self-mixing" detectors, a photo-current response is recovered at each detector that is the product or mixing of the LO and the modulated light waveforms.…”

Section: Fm Chirp Generatormentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The net effect is to impress a unique (orthogonal) code on the IF data recovered for each pixel in a FPA row. Outputs from all of the detectors in an array row are then summed in a transimpedance amplifier (4). The amplifier outputs are fed into analog-to-digital converters (A/Ds) and the resulting data stored.…”

Section: Pn Code Read-outmentioning

confidence: 99%

Research progress on a focal plane array ladar system using a laser diode transmitter and FM/cw radar principles

et al. 2002

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The Army Research Laboratory is developing scannerless ladar systems for smart munition and reconnaissance applications. Here we report on progress attained over the past year related to the construction of a 32x32 pixel ladar. The 32x32 pixel architecture achieves ranging based on a frequency modulation/continuous wave (FM/cw) technique implemented by directly amplitude modulating a near-IR diode laser transmitter with a radio frequency (rf) subcarrier that is linearly frequency modulated. The diode's output is collected and projected to form an illumination field in the downrange image area. The returned signal is focused onto an array of metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) detectors where it is detected and mixed with a delayed replica of the laser modulation signal that modulates the responsivity of each detector. The output of each detector is an intermediate frequency (IF) signal (a product of the mixing process) whose frequency is proportional to the target range. This IF signal is continuously sampled over each period of the rf modulation. Following this, a N channel signal processor based-on field-programmable gate arrays calculates the discrete Fourier transform over the IF waveform in each pixel to establish the ranges to all the scatterers and their respective amplitudes. Over the past year, we have built one and two-dimensional self-mixing MSM detector arrays at .8 and 1.55 µm, designed and built circuit boards for reading data out of a 32x32 pixel array, and designed an N channel FPGA signal processor for high-speed formation of range gates. In this paper we report on the development and performance of these components and the results of system tests conducted in the laboratory.

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“…ARL is researching scannerless ladar systems that are based on a unique FM/cw ranging architecture previously reported 1,2,3 . In the FM/cw laser-radar architecture, a chirped radio frequency (RF) local-oscillator (LO) signal applied across a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) detector array is mixed with a backscattered light signal that is amplitudemodulated by the chirp signal.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High-gain 0.8-μm CMOS readout integrated circuit for FM/CW line-imaging ladar

2003

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We are engaged in research of readout techniques and development of readout integrated circuits for active and active/passive imaging systems under development at the Army Research Laboratory. Here we report a readout integrated circuit chip designed for ARL's FM/cw line-imaging ladar. The readout chip consists of two 1 x 8 element arrays of high-gain amplifiers that convert the input photocurrent signal to a voltage signal appropriate for digitization. Each amplifier consists of a transimpedance input stage op amp followed by a voltage-gain op amp and output buffer. The input transimpedance stage is a CMOS operational amplifier designed for a transimpedance gain of almost 1 MΩ. The voltage amplifier of stage two, also an operational amplifier, is designed to provide additional gain of about 150. Test chips have been fabricated and are being tested. The initial measured transimpedance gain of the entire amplifier cell is 130 MΩ. We discuss the chip design, physical layout, and initial performance test results.

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Self-mixing detector candidates for an FM/cw ladar architecture

Cited by 33 publications

References 0 publications

Research progress on a focal plane array ladar system using chirped amplitude modulation

Research progress on a focal plane array ladar system using chirped amplitude modulation

Research progress on a focal plane array ladar system using a laser diode transmitter and FM/cw radar principles

High-gain 0.8-μm CMOS readout integrated circuit for FM/CW line-imaging ladar

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