Lidar system noise reduction combining circular polarization laser output with photon sieve optics in the receiver

US10393863B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• United States of America as represented by the Administrator of NASA · US

Inventors

• Wenbo Sun · Yorktown, US
• Yongxiang Hu · Yorktown, US
• David G. MacDonnell · Yorktown, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 19, 2016
• Grant date: Aug 27, 2019
• Expiry date: Jul 27, 2037

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01S17/02
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A lidar system includes an optical transmitter having a laser light source that is configured to generate a beam of light that is azimuthally polarized or has Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM). The lidar system further includes an optical receiver having an optical sensor defining a focal plane. A photon sieve is configured to produce a ring pattern on the focal plane corresponding to a laser return signal. The ring pattern comprises azimuthally polarized or Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) light that is transmitted by the transmitter and reflected towards the receiver. The photon sieve is also configured to cause stray light that is not polarized to produce a central region at the center of the ring pattern that is distinct from the ring pattern.