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System and method for providing chirped electromagnetic radiation

  • US 8,891,566 B2
  • Filed: 12/19/2011
  • Issued: 11/18/2014
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for controllably chirping electromagnetic radiation, the system comprising:

  • a first coherent laser radar section comprising;

    a laser source that generates a first laser beam,an interferometer that splits the first laser beam into a first target beam and a first local oscillator beam, and generates a first combined target beam from a first reflected portion of the first target beam and the first local oscillator beam;

    a second coherent laser radar section comprising;

    a laser source that generates a second laser beam,an interferometer that splits the second laser beam into a second target beam, incident on the target at the same location as the first target beam, and a second local oscillator beam, and generates a second combined target beam from a second reflected portion of the second target beam and the second local oscillator beam; and

    a processor configured to determine a range and a Doppler velocity of the target unambiguously from the first combined target beam and the second combined target beam,wherein each of the first laser source and the second laser source further comprises;

    at least one optical element that forms an optical cavity;

    a frequency shifter disposed within the optical cavity, wherein the frequency shifter receives electromagnetic radiation from the optical cavity, and outputs a frequency shifted portion of the received electromagnetic radiation back to the optical cavity; and

    an optical switch disposed within the optical cavity, the optical switch having an input coupled to the optical cavity, the optical switch having a first output and a second output, and the optical switch being configured in a first state to dump substantially all of the received electromagnetic radiation from the input away from the optical cavitiy via the first output, and the optical switch being configured in a second state to return substantially all of the received electromagnetic radiation form the input back to the optical cavity via the second output,wherein, while the optical switch is configured in the second state, the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation within the optical cavity linearly shifts further and further away from the initial frequency as the electromagnetic radiation is circulated through the optical cavity, andwherein the optical switch is configured in the first state for a period of time that is greater than or substantially equal to a period of time required from electromagnetic radiation to travel the optical length of the optical cavity thereby returning the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation within the optical cavity to the initial frequency.

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