Two coherent LiDAR modulation formats are compared by the minimum required number of photons per pixel. Phase-coded and linear frequency chirp modulations are found to result in similar sensitivity of a few photons per pixel.
There are many different LiDARs on the market today. They have a variety of specifications, and standards are yet to be developed. On a very fundamental level LiDARs can be classified by how they transmit (modulation format) and how they receive (detection method) light. Most commercial LiDARs use high power amplitude-modulated lasers and direct detection.
In coherent detection LiDAR, a low power frequency modulated continuous…
