Near-Range Large Field-of-View Three-Dimensional Photon-Counting Imaging with a Single-Pixel Si-Avalanche Photodiode

Large field-of-view (FoV) three-dimensional (3D) photon-counting imaging is demonstrated with a single-pixel single-photon detector based on a Geiger-mode Si-avalanche photodiode. By removing the collecting lens (CL) before the detector, the FoV is expanded to ±10°. Thanks to the high detection efficiency, the signal-to-noise ratio of the imaging system is as high as 7.8 dB even without the CL when the average output laser pulse energy is about 0.45 pJ/pulse for imaging the targets at a distance of 5 m. A 3D image overlaid with the reflectivity data is obtained according to the photon-counting time-of-flight measurement and the return photon intensity. (paper)