Abstract

Compact and robust diode laser based lidars (light detection and ranging) are potentially important for robotic vision, noncontact surface profiling, high speed servo control loops, and fault detection. High receiver sensitivity can be achieved using the frequency modulated (FM) heterodyne radar technique.^1-3 However, the nonlinearity in the FM response and the broad linewidth of conventional laser diodes can significantly degrade the resolution of a FM cw lidar. We propose and demonstrate a high resolution FM cw lidar employing a two-section distributed feedback (DFB) injection laser,⁴ which has superior coherency and FM properties compared with conventional laser diodes.

© 1990 Optical Society of America