University of Colorado

University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Astra Lite, Inc.

Litewave Technologies, Inc.

Other

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation

Montana State University

Astra Life, Inc.

Matthew Hayman

Jeffrey P Thayer

Andrew W Gisler

Steven R Mitchell

Geoffrey Crowley

Scott M Spuler

Steven Mitchell

Kevin S Repasky

Edwin W Eloranta

Robert Stillwell

Bruce Morley

Through discrimination of the scattered signal polarization state, a lidar system measures a distance through semi-transparent media by the reception of single or multiple scattered signals from a scattering medium. Combined and overlapped single or multiple scattered light signals from the medium can be separated by exploiting varying polarization characteristics. This removes the traditional laser and detector pulse width limitations that determine the system's operational bandwidth, translating relative depth measurements into the conditions of two surface timing measurements and achieving sub-pulse width resolution.

Remote measurement of shallow depths in semi-transparent media

A beam transmitter, a receiver, and a LIDAR, along with methods to operate each are provided. The beam transmitter comprises a first and a second transmission channel (), each transmission channel including a first online laser, a first offline laser, and a first laser transmission selection switch operable to toggle between including the first online laser signal and the first offline laser signal in a first transmission beam. The beam transmitter further includes at least one light redirection device operable to coalign the first transmission beam with the second transmission beam. The receiver comprises a first splitter (), a first filter (), a first detector channel (), a second splitter (), a second filter (), and a second detector channel (). The LIDAR includes the beam transmitter, the receiver, and a shared telescope.

Differential absorption LIDAR for profiling temperature

Remote measurement of shallow depths in semitransparent media

Through discrimination of the scattered signal polarization state, a lidar system measures a distance through semi-transparent media by the reception of single or multiple scattered signals from a scattered medium. Combined and overlapped single or multiple scattered light signals from the medium can be separated by exploiting varying polarization characteristics. This removes the traditional laser and detector pulse width limitations that determine the system's operational bandwidth, translating relative depth measurements into the conditions of two surface timing measurements and achieving sub-pulse width resolution.

Lidar is an acronym for Light Detection And Ranging. The technology may be used to measure distance by illuminating a target with a laser beam and performing analysis on the reflected laser beam light. In the atmospheric sciences, Lidar may be used to study the optical depth of clouds, the impact of aerosols on clouds, and the interactions between aerosols and clouds on the climate. The present application proposes a lidar-based technology using a diode laser () beam sent through a tapered semiconductor optical amplifier () and an axicon pair expander () wherein the laser light may be transmitted through a telescope () at an object to be studied. Upon striking the object to be studied, the laser () is reflected and recovered by the telescope (). The reflected laser is then sent through a heated rubidium vapor cell () and a total detection channel () for analysis.

Diode laser based high spectral resolution lidar

A photon counting system is provided. The photon counting system comprises an analog domain and a digital domain in communication with the analog domain. A detector is configured to detect photons. An analog digital converter is provided in the digital domain, while an amplifier circuit is provided in the analog domain that is configured to receive the detector's output, wherein the amplifier circuit's output is in communication with the analog digital converter. The output of the analog digital converter is in communication with a signal processing system that may perform accumulation of signals and store them in memory.

Analog photon counting

A method for determining a distribution of events, a method for determining a distribution of particle sizes in a sample of air, and an apparatus for performing the same are provided. The method includes obtaining a measured ensemble property distribution function for one or more events, generating one or more theoretical ensemble property distribution functions based on Poisson statistics using one or more model parameters, and determining an event parameter property distribution function by fitting one or more of the theoretical ensemble property distribution functions to the measured ensemble property distribution function using a forward inversion algorithm.

Poisson ensemble inversion

Through discrimination of the scattered signal polarization state, a lidar system measures a distance through semi-transparent media by the reception of scattered signals from a first surface and scattered signals from a second surface. Combined and overlapped light signals scattered from the two surface signals can be separated by exploiting their differing polarization characteristics. This removes the traditional laser and detector pulse width limitations that determine the system's operational bandwidth, translating relative depth measurements into the conditions of single surface timing measurements and achieving sub-pulse width resolution.

Growing community of inventors

Boulder, CO, United States of America

Matthew Hayman