Light detection and ranging (lidar) has long been used in various applications. Solid-state beam steering mechanisms are needed for robust lidar systems. Here we propose and demonstrate a lidar scheme called Swept Source Lidar that allows us to perform frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) ranging and nonmechanical beam steering simultaneously. Wavelength dispersive elements provide angular beam steering, while a laser frequency is continuously swept by a wideband swept source over its whole tuning bandwidth. Employing a tunable vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser and a 1-axis mechanical beam scanner, three-dimensional point cloud data has been obtained. Swept Source Lidar systems can be flexibly combined with various beam steering elements to realize full solid-state FMCW lidar systems.
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