Low light-level IR detectors for use in lidar systems

Field operation of lidar would be facilitated greatly by the availability of portable, eye-safe systems that are based on solid-state lasers and detectors operating at wavelengths in the near infrared. The operating principles and design requirements of indium gallium arsenide-based avalanche photodetectors capable of single photon detection in the 0.8 /spl mu/m to 1.6 /spl mu/m wavelength range are discussed in this paper.