We describe Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (GmAPD) cameras designed with asynchronous free-running operation that supports single-photon direct detection and coherent detection 3D LiDAR imaging as well as free-running applications such as free-space optical communications and target acquisition and tracking. Each free-running pixel in the 32x32 focal plane array performs independent time-of-flight measurements with a selectable reset time between 0.1 and 10 μs. Asynchronous reporting of time-of-flight and pixel location data allows continuous operation for arbitrarily long periods of time at sampling rates exceeding 0.7 Gsample/s. We report results for cameras optimized for operation using either 1.0 or 1.5 μm LiDAR sources.

Date Published: 9 June 2017
PDF: 1 pages
Proc. SPIE 10212, Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XI, 102120K (9 June 2017); doi: 10.1117/12.2264573

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 10212:
Advanced Photon Counting Techniques XI
Mark A. Itzler; Joe C. Campbell, Editor(s)