Abstract: A lidar system with a light source to emit a pulse of light into a field of view and a receiver to detect a return pulse of light which is reflected or scattered by a target in the field of view. The receiver may include an avalanche photodiode to generate an electrical-current pulse corresponding to the return pulse and a transimpedance amplifier to produce a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse. A voltage amplifier may amplify the voltage pulse and a comparator may produce an edge signal when the amplified voltage pulse exceeds a threshold. A time-to-digital converter may determine a time interval based on an emission time of the pulse of light and based on the edge signal. A processor may determine a distance to the target using the time interval.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a pump laser configured to produce pulses of light at a pump wavelength. The lidar system further includes an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) with an OPO medium configured to: receive the pump pulses from the pump laser; convert at least part of the received pump pulses into pulses of light at a signal wavelength and pulses of light at an idler wavelength; and emit at least a portion of the signal pulses. The lidar system also includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard and a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the scanned pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a lidar system includes a Q-switched laser configured to emit pulses of light, where the Q-switched laser includes a gain medium and a Q-switch. The lidar system further includes a scanner configured to scan the emitted pulses of light across a field of regard and a receiver configured to detect at least a portion of the scanned pulses of light scattered by a target located a distance from the lidar system. The lidar system also includes a processor configured to determine the distance from the lidar system to the target based at least in part on a round-trip time of flight for an emitted pulse of light to travel from the lidar system to the target and back to the lidar system.

Abstract: A lidar system with a light source to emit a pulse of light into a field of view and a receiver to detect a return pulse of light which is reflected or scattered by a target in the field of view. The receiver may include an avalanche photodiode to generate an electrical-current pulse corresponding to the return pulse and a transimpedance amplifier to produce a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse. A voltage amplifier may amplify the voltage pulse and a comparator may produce an edge signal when the amplified voltage pulse exceeds a threshold. A time-to-digital converter may determine a time interval based on an emission time of the pulse of light and based on the edge signal. A processor may determine a distance to the target using the time interval.

Abstract: A lidar system can include a light source that emits a pulse of light and a splitter that splits the pulse of light into two or more pulses of angularly separated light. The lidar system can also include a scanner configured to scan pulses of light along a scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system. The lidar system can also include a detector array with a first detector and a second detector. The first and second detectors can be separated by a detector-separation distance along a direction corresponding to the scanning direction of the light pulses. The first detector can be configured to detect scattered light from the first pulse of light and the second detector can be configured to detect scattered light from the second pulse of light.

Abstract: A lidar system may have a light source configured to emit a pulse of light and a scanner that scans a field of view of the light source in a forward-scanning direction across a plurality of pixels located downrange from the lidar system. The scanner can direct the pulse of light toward the second pixel and scan a field of view of a first detector. The first-detector field of view can be offset from the light-source field of view in a direction opposite the forward-scanning direction. When the pulse is emitted, the first-detector field of view can at least partially overlap the first pixel and the light-source field of view can at least partially overlap the second pixel. The first detector can be configured to detect a portion of the pulse of light scattered by a target located at least partially within the second pixel.

Abstract: A temperature emulator may include a stacked assembly including a pair of end plates positioned at an uppermost and lowermost location of the stacked assembly, a plurality of heat sink plates positioned between the pair of end plates, a plurality of shim plates positioned between adjacent pairs of heat sink plates, and an exothermic charge assembly positioned between at least one pair of heat sink plates, the exothermic charge assembly including an exotherm charge configured to react exothermally in response to a thermal cure cycle.

Abstract: A temperature emulator may include a stacked assembly including a pair of end plates positioned at an uppermost and lowermost location of the stacked assembly, a plurality of heat sink plates positioned between the pair of end plates, a plurality of shim plates positioned between adjacent pairs of heat sink plates, and an exothermic charge assembly positioned between at least one pair of heat sink plates, the exothermic charge assembly including an exotherm charge configured to react exothermally in response to a thermal cure cycle.

Abstract: A thermal compensating mount 10 is provided for an alignment sensitive component 12. Thermal compensating 10 mount comprises a cylindrical extension 14 which is formed integral to and has the same coefficient of thermal expansion as alignment sensitive component 12. A cylindrical receptacle 20 is formed into mounting surface 18. Cylindrical extension 14 secured within cylindrical receptacle 20 that surrounds the cylindrical extension. The difference between the diameter of cylindrical extension 14 and cylindrical receptacle 20 is such that the differential thermal expansion across cylindrical extension 14 and the edges of cylindrical receptacle 20 is exactly compensated for by the thermal expansion of the surrounding adhesive 16.