Researchers have developed a lidar system that utilizes quantum detection technology to acquire 3D images while underwater. This is the first demonstration of a prototype system that can capture detailed information in extremely low-light conditions found underwater. The high sensitivity of this system allows it to be useful for a wide range of applications, including inspecting underwater installations such as wind farm cables and turbines, surveying submerged archaeology sites, and for security and defense purposes.
Capturing 3D images through ocean water can be challenging because of the light-limited conditions and particles in the water that scatter light and distort the image. However, single-photon detection, a quantum-based technique, allows for high penetration and works in low-light conditions.
Researchers from Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh describe experiments in which an entire single-photon lidar system was submerged in a large water tank in Optics Express. The new demonstrations bring the technology closer to practical applications compared to the team’s earlier experiments with underwater single-photon detection, which were performed in carefully controlled laboratory conditions with the optical setup placed outside the water tank and data analysis performed offline.
Continue reading… “Breaking the Waves: Quantum Detection Lidar Prototype Sets New Standard for Underwater Imaging”
