Integrated multi-frequency lidar / radar system for precise and robust Doppler measurements

Abstract

A novel architecture of an integrated photonic assisted radar-lidar system based on a single mode-locked laser is proposed and demonstrated. The lidar exploits a multi-frequency optical signal with tunable tones separation allowing a dynamic tradeoff among robustness and sensitivity of measurements. The radar, which employs the mode-locked laser for generating and receiving the radio-frequency signal operates in the X-band and simultaneously with the lidar. Velocity measurements for different tones separation are successfully demonstrated with good agreement between lidar and radar.