Abstract

The optimal laser field for the local oscillator of a monostatic coherent laser radar observing a diffuse or aerosol target given the transmitter field is the solution of an integral equation. To our knowledge, the only analytic solution published is for an unrealistic case of an aperture described by a Gaussian transmittance function. This integral equation is solved numerically for the more common circular aperture and various transmitter field geometries, including a Gaussian field and an unstable resonator field. The optimal design is compared to the optimal parameters of previous work, where the local oscillator was taken to be a Gaussian field. An optical design that generates these optimal fields will be presented. The physics of the optimal conditions will be discussed by using simulations of the signal and local oscillator fields on the detector surface. This provides a visual presentation of the optimal fields and insight into the limitations of coherent laser radar design. These new results provide a simple design for the optimal performance of the monostatic coherent laser radar.

© 1992 Optical Society of America