Photodetection and ranging system with distributed laser and multiple sensor heads, and pulsed laser for optical detection and ranging system

摘要

The light detection and ranging system includes a light source, a plurality of optical links, and a plurality of sensor heads. Each optical link couples the light source to a corresponding sensor head, and each optical link carries the emitted light pulse to the corresponding sensor head. Each sensor head includes a scanner and a detector. The laser system includes a seed laser and a first fiber optic amplifier that amplifies the seed pulse. The laser system further includes an optical filter that removes an amount of amplified spontaneous emission from the output of the first amplifier. The laser system includes a second fiber optical amplifier that receives the amplified seed pulse from the first optical filter. The output pulse has characteristics including a repetition frequency of 100 MHz or less, a duration of 20 nanoseconds or less, and a duty cycle of 1% or less.