Heterodyne laser radar SNR from a diffuse target containing multiple glints
Abstract
A coherent laser radar performance model is formulated using the Huygens-Fresnel principle for a near-field or far-field diffuse target which may contain a number of glints. The received signal is calculated for a truncated Gaussian-transmission beam mixed with a matched Gaussian or a uniform local oscillator (LO) beam. In the case of a far-field diffuse target, an increase in SNR is obtained if the receiver aperture increases to about three times the transmitter aperture, or if the transmitter aperture increases to about three times the receiver aperture. Results show that the uniform LO beam is as efficient in mixing with the return signal wave front as the matched Gaussian LO beam. Experimental results confirm the calculations that a substantially light SNR value can be expected for a receiver aperture as large as three times the transmitter so long as the detector size remains diffraction-limited.
- Publication:
-
Applied Optics
- Pub Date:
- February 1982
- DOI:
- 10.1364/AO.21.000464
- Bibcode:
- 1982ApOpt..21..464W
- Keywords:
-
- Coherent Radar;
- Optical Heterodyning;
- Optical Radar;
- Radar Detection;
- Signal To Noise Ratios;
- Target Recognition;
- Apertures;
- Performance Prediction;
- Wave Diffraction;
- Wave Fronts;
- Communications and Radar;
- LIDAR;
- HETERODYNING