Complex-optical-field lidar system for range and vector velocity measurement

A coherent lidar system based on the measurement of complex optical field is demonstrated for the first time. An electro-optic in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) modulator is used in the lidar transmitter to realize carrier-suppressed complex optical field modulation in which the positive and the negative optical sidebands can carry independent modulation waveforms. A fiber-optic 90° hybrid is used in the lidar receiver for coherent heterodyne detection and to recover the complex optical field. By loading a constant modulation frequency on the lower optical sideband and a wideband linear frequency chirp on the upper sideband, vector velocity and target distance can be measured independently. The wide modulation bandwidth of this lidar system also enabled unprecedented range resolution and the capability of measuring high velocity unambiguously.