Effect of angle of incidence on self-mixing laser Doppler velocimeter and optimization of the system

Based on the theory of speckle and self-mixing interference in laser-diode, three-facet cavity model is introduced to analyze laser Doppler effect based on self-mixing interference in the case of a rough surface, and numerical solution of the signal is obtained. Simulation results of speckle-modulated Doppler signal based on self-mixing effect and tracking accuracy at different incident angles are given using parameters employed in the experiment. Simulation results indicate incident angle of around 30° is most suitable when both tracking accuracy and signal amplitude are considered. Experimental waveforms agree well with simulation results, and similar conclusions as simulation predictions about changing trend of tracking accuracies of the system at different incident angles can be made. Combining with difference frequency analog phase-lock loop (PLL) technique and appropriate sampling time, a laser Doppler velocimeter with tracking accuracy better than 1.3% in the range of 10–470 mm/s is realized.