Demonstration of literal three-dimensional imaging
Cheng Ho, Kevin L. Albright, Alan W. Bird, Jeffrey D. Bradley, Donald E. Casperson, Miles Hindman, W. Priedhorsky, W. R. Scarlett, Randall C. Smith, James P. Theiler, S. Kerry Wilson · Applied Optics · 1999
In a recent paper a new technique was proposed for remote ranging and topographical mapping by using a system with a single-photon-counting detector and a low-power pulsed laser [Appl. Opt. 35, 441 (1996)]. We report on the results from the laboratory and the field demonstration of this literal three-dimensional imaging technique. Using a detector system developed at Los Alamos with a commercial pulsed laser and observing from a single remote vantage point, we demonstrate use of this technique in the literal mapping of three-dimensional topography and the probing of a complex scene. With a reasonably short exposure this system can resolve features with height variations as small as 5 cm.