SBIR Phase I: A Variable Dynamic Range Detector System For Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) Measurements

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目建议开发一种新的光探测和测距（LIDAR）探测器系统，该系统将测量超过7个数量级的信号，数字化分辨率优于1%（来自单个激光脉冲）。该探测器系统希望在模拟数字转换器和光子计数系统之间架起一座桥梁。该系统的智能优点在于它结合了最先进的对数放大器，探测器上的可变增益和传统的光子计数（用于非常低的信号）。微处理器将用于处理数据并提供高速互联网连接。最终的探测器系统应该相对便宜，并将提高激光雷达扫描和小型化的可能性。同样的设计也可以应用于多通道探测器，允许扫描激光雷达遥感光谱研究（荧光、拉曼、差分吸收）。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project proposes to develop a new Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) detector system, which will measure signals over seven orders of magnitude with a digitization resolution of better than 1 percent (from a single laser pulse). The detector system hopes to bridge the gap between analog to digital converters and photon counting systems. The intellectual merit of the system is in the way it combines state of the art logarithmic amplifiers, variable gain on the detectors and traditional photon counting (for very low signals). A microprocessor will be used to process the data and provide a high-speed Internet connection.The final detector system should be relatively inexpensive and will improve LIDAR scanning and miniaturization possibilities. The same design could also be applied to multi-channel detectors allowing scanning LIDAR remote sensing spectral studies (fluorescence, Raman, Differential absorption).