SPAD Properties and the Implications on Signal Processing for SPAD-based LiDARs

Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) is considered as an essential part of the sensor package for future star technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) and Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM). Meanwhile, Single-Photon Avalanche Diode (SPAD) is a very attractive choice as light detectors in LiDARs because of its high sensitivity. LiDARs often need to work in adversary environments such as fog, rain, snow or haze; therefore, advanced signal processing is needed to overcome those difficulties. It is potentially very helpful if LiDAR signal processing can take into considerations of properties of SPADs used as photon detectors. In this paper, three special phenomena associated with specific properties of SPADs are described, and ways of exploiting phenomena for improving the performance of signal detection are explained. Preliminary simulation and/or experiment results are also provided to illustrate the potentials of these approaches.