Design of precise delay system for streak tube imaging lidar

A precise delay system for a streak tube imaging lidar (STIL) is developed. Two delay schemes are designed that are suitable for long- and short-distance lidar imaging. The digital scheme delay can reach 100 μs, and its precision is <6 ns; the analog scheme delay can reach 1200 ns and its precision is <1 ns. Using the STIL system, three-dimensional (3-D) imaging experiments are carried out on land targets at about 2.3-km range and underwater targets at about 25-m range. The experimental results show that the designed delay device can produce precise delay times and effectively verify the 3-D imaging quality of the STIL. This device also has the advantages of stable operation, being more compact, and requiring less power than existing instruments.