Abstract

Diffraction-based calculations of the relative spatial weighting of the observed volume in incoherent scattering experiments, applicable to both direct detection and heterodyne systems and arbitrary transmitter and receiver profiles, have been largely confirmed in laboratory measurements using a CO₂ laser. The results indicate that heterodyne systems have superior spatial resolution at small scattering angles for a given detector geometry and permit quantitative assessment of this and the greater sensitivity of coherent systems to misalignment.

© 1989 Optical Society of America

Antenna parameters for incoherent backscatter heterodyne lidar

B. J. Rye
Appl. Opt. 18(9) 1390-1398 (1979)

Adaptive Fraunhofer diffraction particle sizing instrument using a spatial light modulator

E. Dan Hirleman and Paul A. Dellenback
Appl. Opt. 28(22) 4870-4878 (1989)

Optimal truncation and optical efficiency of an apertured coherent lidar focused on an incoherent backscatter target

Barry J. Rye and Rod G. Frehlich
Appl. Opt. 31(15) 2891-2899 (1992)

Fiber optic detector probes for laser light scattering

Harbans S. Dhadwal, Chi Wu, and Benjamin Chu
Appl. Opt. 28(19) 4199-4205 (1989)

Optical spatial tracking using coherent detection in the pupil plane

Eric A. Swanson, Gary M. Carter, D. Jonathan Bernays, and David M. Hodsdon
Appl. Opt. 28(18) 3918-3928 (1989)