In-situ detecting cooperative-target's speed and rotation inertia using structured light

Abstract

Laser remote sensing represents a powerful tool that enables the accurate measurement of the speed of moving targets. Crucially, most sensing techniques are 2-Dimensional and only enable direct determination of the speed along the line of sight. A disadvantage that is very often overcome using two-dimensional techniques that in many cases are hard to implement and expensive. Here we put forward a novel 3-Dimensional technique that enables the direct and simultaneous measurement of both, the speed and the spin rate of cooperative targets. This technique is based on the use of complex vector light beams, whose polarization and spatial degree of freedom are coupled in a non-separable way. We present experimental evidence of our technique by performing a laboratory proof-of-principle experiment.