Low SWaP Multichannel Analog Pulse Waveform Read-out on a Chip for Lidar

This project is to adapt a novel multi-channel waveform recorder originally developed for nuclear physics for space lidar. The waveform recorder uses a fast switching network and a bank of small capacitors to sample and hold analog pulse waveforms as they occur and digitize the stored waveforms after the event at a lower sampling rate but higher resolution. The technique was first used at the high energy particle collider to record the signals from multi-pixel photodetectors where all the events happen at once but the event rate is low. They can first capture the signals and hold them temporarily on the capacitor banks and digitize and download them during the down time. The technique uses far less real estate and power on the chip than conventional waveform recorders which digitize the waveforms and store the results in memory in real time. Lidars operation is similar to nuclear physics experiment at the colliders, where we need to capture the target returns as they arrive but have a relatively long time in between events.

The technique of sample and hold before digitization can fit many input channels on a single chip and achieve a much lower size, weight, and power (SWaP) compared to conventional waveform recorders.

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