Abstract

In this paper, we discuss some features of open-path remote sensing inherent to CW range-resolved S-lidars (S comes from Scheimpflug) as a new, to the best of our knowledge, and promising class of laser instruments for environmental monitoring. In many remote-sensing applications, the accompanying skylight can degrade the sensitivity and overload the photodetectors, which is also very relevant for S-lidars with Si and InGaAs arrays. We paid special attention to the topical problem of predicting the limitations and potential of S-lidars in the VIS and SWIR spectral bands, where the sky background is particularly strongly affected. For this purpose, the index of immunity against external backgrounds as a quantitative indicator of S-lidars’ potential insensitivity to the current skylight is introduced. Its evaluation is carried out by comparing the potentially achievable signal-to-noise ratios at the detector output in the presence and absence of external illumination. The detector response to the skylight in the photon-counting mode is normalized to appropriate parameters of the array in order to use dimensionless estimates in describing the variability of conditions. Characteristic spectral and dark-current-related features distinguishing the response of Si and InGaAs array detectors in the presence of background illumination are taken into account. It is then shown how to determine the minimum required full well capacity of the array in order to neglect the skylight contribution and ensure stable operation of S-lidars. The proposed methodology is aimed at providing a rationale for design solutions to expand the applicability of this promising type of remote sensors.

© 2022 Optica Publishing Group

Dimensionless parameterization of lidar for laser remote sensing of the atmosphere and its application to systems with SiPM and PMT detectors

Ravil Agishev, Adolfo Comerón, Alejandro Rodriguez, and Michaël Sicard
Appl. Opt. 53(15) 3164-3175 (2014)

Modeling of microjoule and millijoule energy LIDARs with PMT/SiPM/APD detectors: a sensitivity analysis

Ravil Agishev
Appl. Opt. 57(14) 3679-3686 (2018)

Development of a near-infrared single-photon 3D imaging LiDAR based on 64×64 InGaAs/InP array detector and Risley-prism scanner

Changsheng Tan, Wei Kong, Genghua Huang, Shaolei Jia, Qiang Liu, Qingyun Han, Jia Hou, Ruikai Xue, Shiao Yu, and Rong Shu
Opt. Express 32(5) 7426-7447 (2024)

Adaptive digital filter for the processing of atmospheric lidar signals measured by imaging lidar techniques

Zifan Liu, Chenguang Yang, Zhenfeng Gong, Hui Li, and Liang Mei
Appl. Opt. 59(30) 9454-9463 (2020)

Polarization-discrimination technique to maximize the lidar signal-to-noise ratio for daylight operations

Yasser Y. Hassebo, Barry Gross, Min Oo, Fred Moshary, and Samir Ahmed
Appl. Opt. 45(22) 5521-5531 (2006)