A LED lidar system program was proposed for atmospheric aerosol detection. Compared with the conventional lidar using the laser, this system employs LED as the detection light source. Due to the wealth wavelength of LED, LED lidar achieves aerosol detection at a specific wavelength, and it makes the detection of aerosol particle size distribution easier. This paper presents a pulse modulation system for high-power LED light source. The system consists of pulse generator, narrow pulse driving circuit, and high-power LED array. A FPGA system is designed to generate the pulse whose frequency is adjusted by remote control. Using avalanche switching characteristics, the avalanche transistor circuit produces ultra-narrow pulses to drive the high-power LED array. Using U.S. standard atmospheric model, the detection capability of LED lidar system was simulated. Simulation result shows that the designed LED pulse light source used for lidar can meet the requirements of lower atmospheric aerosol detection.

Date Published: 10 October 2013
PDF: 6 pages
Proc. SPIE 8916, Sixth International Symposium on Precision Mechanical Measurements, 89162U (10 October 2013); doi: 10.1117/12.2035607

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 8916:
Sixth International Symposium on Precision Mechanical Measurements
Shenghua Ye; Yetai Fei, Editor(s)