Sigma Space Corporation

Edward Lee Leventhal

Yunhui Zheng

Savyasachee Liptarag Mathur

A polarization switching lidar device, arranged for remote detection and characterization of airborne aggregations of particulates, includes a pulsed laser, a mirror, a polarizing beam splitter, an actively controlled retarder arranged to be controllably alternated between a zero retardation state and a quarter-wave retardation state such that the transmitted portion of the exiting laser light beam is linearly polarized in a predetermined direction when the actively controlled retarder is in the zero retardation state, while being circularly polarized in a predetermined rotational sense when the actively controlled retarder is in the quarter-wave retardation state. A directable telescoping assembly is arranged to collect photons backscattered by the airborne aggregations of particulates and to redirect the collected portion of depolarized backscattered photons onto the polarizing beam splitter. A photodetector is arranged to generate at least one electronic signal proportional to the collected portion of depolarized backscattered photons.

Polarization switching lidar device and method

A polarization switching lidar device is arranged for remote detection and characterization of airborne aggregations of particulates. It includes a pulsed laser, a mirror, a polarizing beam splitter, an actively controlled retarder arranged to be controllably alternated between a zero retardation state and a quarter-wave retardation state such that the transmitted portion of the exiting laser light beam is linearly polarized in a predetermined direction when the actively controlled retarder is in the zero retardation state, while being circularly polarized in a predetermined rotational sense when the actively controlled retarder is in the quarter-wave retardation state. A directable telescoping assembly is arranged to collect photons backscattered by the airborne aggregations of particulates and to redirect the collected portion of depolarized backscattered photons onto the polarizing beam splitter. A photodetector is arranged to generate at least one electronic signal proportional to the collected portion of depolarized backscattered photons.

Growing community of inventors

Brookeville, MD, United States of America

Edward Lee Leventhal