Peak detection and hold circuit compensation for narrow-pulse laser signals in laser radar

We present a compensation method for the peak detection circuit of narrow-pulse laser signals in a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) system. The technique aims to reduce the error between the hold voltage and digitised values, which results from temporal uncertainty in the echo signals and the limited conversion speed of low-cost analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Experimental results have verified that the maximum absolute error decreased to ~28 mV, whereas the minimum absolute and relative errors were as low as 0.18 mV and 0.03%, respectively. This method can be applied to calibrate the peak detection value in time-of-flight (ToF) LiDAR systems, eliminating the need for expensive high-speed ADCs and offering significant advantages of cost-effectiveness and ease of implementation.