Abstract

Our group has constructed a fiber optic signal simulator to measure the dynamic range and impulse response of various pulsed lidar detectors. The test signal generated by the simulator was a pulse train of constant temporal spacing and exponentially decaying amplitude. By using this system dynamic ranges of 10¹⁰ were measured for an Advanced Photonix avalanche photo-diode. By utilizing p-i-n photo-diodes rise and fall times of 3 ns have been observed. The constant temporal spacing and exponentially decaying amplitude of the output pulses allows the dynamic range and impulse response of pulsed lidar detectors to be observed directly on an oscilloscope or digitalized for further processing.

© 1992 Optical Society of America