title: Reference-beam storage for long-range low-coherence pulsed Doppler lidar.
abstract: We present a laser Doppler velocimeter that stores and delays the reference beam to preserve coherence with a long-path-length measurement beam. Our storage and delay technique relaxes the strict coherence requirements associated with lidar laser sources, permitting the use of low-coherence lasers. This technique potentially could reduce the cost and size of lidar systems for commercial applications. Experiments that use fiber-optic ring resonators to store the reference beams and generate reference pulse trains validated the concept. We obtained results at several simulated distances by beating each usable reference pulse with a delayed Doppler-shifted measurement beam reflected off a rotating mirror.
authors: A A
authors: AA
authors: Dorrington
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Kunnemeyer
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Danehy