Time-multiplexing single-photon imaging lidar with single-pixel detector

Abstract

A time-multiplexing technique is proposed and demonstrated for single-photon imaging lidar, utilizing a large-area single-pixel single-photon detector to simultaneously detect the multi-pixel echoes. In this time-division multiplexing lidar, the echo signals from different pixels of the fiber array are delayed through fibers of varying lengths, merged into a fiber bundle, and then sequentially detected by the large-area single-pixel detector. In the experimental demonstration, a two-detector system capable of imaging 122 pixels using single-photon imaging lidar was showcased in three-dimensional imaging. Furthermore, the spectral broadening caused by multimode fiber dispersion was analyzed. Imaging of four different targets at a distance of 80 m was experimentally validated. This time-multiplexing technique can greatly reduce the number of single-photon detectors required in imaging lidar systems, making it suitable for low-cost lidar applications.