ABSTRACT
Advanced imaging systems concepts using laser sources provide imaging at distances greater than three attenuation lengths. These extended range imagers are of two classes: the synchronous laser line scanner (LLS) class and the laser range gated class. As a consequence of the requirement to minimize the common scattering volume LLS system designs have a relatively small depth of field, typically no more than a few meters. A more compact benchtop LLS system was developed in collaboration with Lincoln Laser. Raytrace analysis of the two alternative line scanner designs highlights differences in aperture field-stop design to meet the optical performance requirements. More specifically, the results from the dual pyramidal polygon model indicate several second order requirements to achieve the desired level of performance. The chapter summarizes some sets of test tank LLS imaging results performed with the single hexagonal polygon scanner to investigate performance tradeoffs in the choice of system geometrical parameters, and the use of alternate illumination and detection schemes.
