Optimising backscatter from multiple beam interference

Optical sensing applications are usually reliant on the intensity of the measured signal. For remote sensing applications where a target is probed with a laser beam, the sensitivity will be limited by the amount of backscattered light returned from the target to the detector. We demonstrate a method of increasing the signal returned to the detector by illuminating the target with a number of independently controlled beams, where both the position and phase are optimised. We show an improvement in the backscattered signal that is proportional to the number of beams used. The method is demonstrated within a laser microphone, measuring audio signal due to vibrations in surfaces, showing a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise of the measurement. Published by The Optical Society under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Automated summary

Optical sensing applications rely on the intensity of the measured signal. By illuminating a target with multiple independently controlled beams, the signal returned to the detector can be increased, leading to a significant improvement in the signal-to-noise ratio of the measurement.