Patent — available for licensing
Receiver for Long-distance, Low-backscatter LiDAR
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
Researchers at the NASA Langley Research Center have developed a new coherent LiDAR (light detection and ranging) receiver compatible with high-energy fiber lasers. The hybrid receiver incorporates robust bulk optics (i.e., dielectric, coated optics) to handle high pulse energy where needed and fiber optics where damage tolerance is not critical. Commercially available receivers leveraging fiber optic components for metrology and remote sensing are not compatible lasers above ~100 micro-J. This restriction limits measurement distances to only a few kilometers out and to the lower atmosphere where aerosols are abundant. The new NASA design allows full advantage to be taken of novel high-energy pulsed laser technology to enable Doppler LiDAR measurements out to longer distances (> 10 km) and/or in conditions of lower aerosol backscatter for applications in markets including wind energy, aerospace & defense, and meteorology & environmental sensing.