Abstract: One aspect provides a method for providing a short electrical pulse using a switching circuit, the method including: providing a forward current to at least one semiconductor diode electrically connected with and controlling electrical current to an electrical component within a circuit; and switching the at least one semiconductor diode into a reverse bias by applying a reverse voltage to the at least one semiconductor diode, thereby causing the at least one semiconductor diode to enter a reverse recovery state and controlling a destination of the electrical current and generating the short electrical pulse to the destination for the duration of the reverse recovery state; the duration of the reverse recovery state being based upon a value of the forward current and a value of the reverse voltage.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a method for three-dimensional imaging by determining distances of objects within scenes, the method including: emitting a light onto an object within a scene for a predetermined length of time; receiving a plurality of reflections of the light from the object, wherein each of the plurality of reflections is received for a predetermined length of time less than an exposure time for a frame of the scene, wherein the photon detector generates an electrical signal; determining depth location information of at least a portion of the object within the scene corresponding to the given of the electrical signals; and generating, from the depth location information of portions of the object within the scene, a three-dimensional image for the frame of the scene.