Subpixel three-dimensional laser imaging with a downscaled avalanche photodiode array using code division multiple access

Abstract Scannerless time-of-flight three-dimensional imaging, the successor to raster scanning three-dimensional imaging, relies on large-scale detector arrays to obtain high pixel resolution; however, manufacturing limitations lead to a bottleneck in imaging resolution. Here, we report a methodology for laser imaging using code division multiple access, which involves three key steps. Optical encoding is carried out for a pulsed laser to generate space-time encoded beams for projection. Optical multiplexing subdivides the backscattered light signals and multiplexes them to a downscaled avalanche-photodiode array. Subpixel decoding decodes the digitized encoded full waveforms and decomposes the features of all subpixels. Accordingly, we design a prototype based on a 64-order encoder and a 4-element avalanche-photodiode array and conduct an outdoor experiment. We demonstrate that the system is capable of obtaining 256 pixels per frame in push-broom mode and reconstruct a three-dimensional image with centimetre-level lateral resolution and range precision at a distance of ∼112 m.