Sweep frequency modulator using voltage-controlled oscillator for development of incoherent FMCW optical ranging system

Closed

Dwi Hanto, Mohammad Arif Rahmatulloh, Eko Joni Pristiyanto, Dayat Kurniawan, Agitta Rianaris, Hari Pratomo, Dedi Irawan, Saktioto, Bambang Widiyatmoko

2024 AIP Conference Proceedings Vol. 3069 Issue 1 Conference paper Cited by 0 Quartile

Abstract

Generally, the incoherent frequency modulated continuous wave (I-FMCW) for optical ranging system uses a waveform generator as a sweep frequency modulator; However, it makes a system running non-stand alone and bulky. Therefore, a sweep frequency modulator developed by a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) is proposed to substitute a waveform generator. By using the proposed modulator, it can easily adjust a frequency bandwidth and repetition rate of a sweep frequency because both parameters play an important role in governing range resolution. In order to create the system, the VCO is supplied a triangle waveform, where the amplitude and repetition rate can be adjusted by LabView program through a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). In the experiment, a laser's intensity is internally modulated by a developed modulator from 200 MHz to 400 MHz. Then, a modulated light is launched into a device under test (DUT) and it is detected by an avalanched photodetector as an optical ranging signal. The system also employs a double balance mixer (DBM) to combine the optical ranging signal and a reference from the modulator, resulting in a beat frequency. Ultimately, our approach is experimentally demonstrated to range a DUT with two categories: variation of optical fiber length and object detection in free space. The results show that the system can identify the range of optical fiber up to 343 m with a spatial resolution of 0.52 m and an object in free space up to 7 m with a spatial resolution of 0.75 m by using the beat frequency. This system can potentially be applied in lidar, distributed fiber optic sensors, and object profiling. © 2024 Author(s).

Affiliations

Research Center for Photonics, National Research and Innovation Agency, South Tangerang, Indonesia; Department of Physics, State University of Surabaya (UNESA), Surabaya, Indonesia; Research Center for Telecommunication, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bandung, Indonesia; Department of Physics Education, Teacher Training and Education, Universitas Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Riau, Pekanbaru, Indonesia