CPC G01S 7/499 (2013.01) [G01S 7/481 (2013.01); G01S 17/08 (2013.01); G01S 17/58 (2013.01)] | 23 Claims |
1. A method of operating a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) system comprising:
generating a beam of co-propagating, cross-polarized light, the light being reflected from a target;
transforming, between a plurality of orthogonal pairs of polarizations, a polarization state of the light reflected from the target using a variable polarization rotator, at a rate faster than a rate of data collection at a plurality of detectors configured to detect the light reflected from the target; and
determining at least one of a material characteristic or an orientation of the target using the co-propagating, cross-polarized light.
|