Ultrafast, Low- Power Sensing and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Using Quantum-Enhanced Frequency Comb Spectroscopy
Abstract
Remote sensing and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) have become popular ubiquitous technologies for noninvasively gathering information about the surroundings and for autonomous navigation. Taking the example of ranging, a traditional approach uses the roundtrip delay time of a short-pulsed laser to measure the distance (time-of-flight ranging). However, such direct detection suffers from interference from ambient light or sunlight. Frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) LiDAR has emerged as an alternative to time-of-flight LiDAR which can measure simultaneously the distance and velocity of moving objects from the Doppler shift of the reflected FMCW beam, instead of the roundtrip delay, and is less affected by ambient light or sunlight since it uses coherent heterodyne detection. Nevertheless, the Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of FMCW LiDAR (TRL~3-4) is significantly behind time-of-flight LiDAR (TRL>7), since FMCW involves sophisticated techniques for laser beam generation and detection – specifically, the precise linear chirping of a narrow-linewidth high coherence laser (generation), and the coherent heterodyne mixing of the reflected beam respectively (detection). This project aims to overcome these challenges of FMCW laser beam generation and detection using integrated photonic devices made of silicon nitride, and harnessing quantum-enhanced sensing techniques. The low loss of silicon nitride would enable the generation of these required FMCW laser beams with low power and over a broad bandwidth. If successful, this project would increase the data acquisition rates and the sensitivity of remote sensing and FMCW LiDAR techniques significantly beyond today’s demonstrations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2022
- Source ID
- N004212310002
Entities
People
- Avik Dutt
Organizations
- United States Navy
- University of Maryland