An eye safe, compact, solid state lidar for profiling atmospheric clou
d and aerosol scattering has been demonstrated. The transmitter of the
micro pulse lidar is a diode pumped muJ pulse energy, high repetition
rate Nd:YLF laser. Eye safety is obtained through beam expansion. The
receiver employs a photon counting solid state Geiger mode avalanche
photodiode detector. Data acquisition is by a single card multichannel
scaler. Daytime background induced quantum noise is controlled by a n
arrow receiver field-of-view (FOV) and a narrow bandwidth temperature
controlled interference filter. Dynamic range of the signal is limited
by optical geometric signal compression. Signal simulations and initi
al atmospheric measurements indicate that systems built on the micro p
ulse lidar concept are capable of detecting and profiling all signific
ant cloud and aerosol scattering through the troposphere and into the
stratosphere. The intended applications are scientific studies and env
ironmental monitoring which require full time, unattended measurements
of the cloud and aerosol height structure.