Abstract

We analyze the ultimate timing precision of schemes for time-of-flight measurements with rangefinders and LiDARs, based on short-pulse, sine-wave modulated, and long-pulse techniques, and consider both random and systematic contributions to the total error. When quantum noise of detected photons prevails, the random error is given by a characteristic time of the waveform divided by the square root of detected photons. When the detector is thermal-noise limited, the random error is increased by the square root of the ratio thermal-equivalent power to detected power. The systematic error may become much larger than the random one, but an appropriate choice of parameters can reduce it below the random error.

© 2021 The Author(s)