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January 18, 2005
Laser Technology Presents: How Our Lasers Work
 The word "laser" stands for "Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation".
The type of laser we use in our products is an infrared, semiconductor, GaAs laser diode. The generated light energy has a wavelength of approx. 900 nanometers, with a beam divergence of 3 milliradians - equal to a beam width of roughly 0.3 m at 100 m or likewise, 3 ft at 1000 ft.
Our products calculate distance by measuring the time of flight of very short pulses of infrared light. This differs from the traditional surveying instrument method of measuring phase shifts by comparing the incoming wavelength with the phase of the outgoing light.
Any solid object will reflect back a certain percentage of the emitted light energy. This only needs to be a small percentage for our sensitive detector to pick it up. We measure the time it takes a laser pulse to travel to the target and back with a precision, crystal-controlled time base. Knowing the constant speed of light, it is then easy to calculate the distance traveled.
For increased accuracy, our lasers process as many as sixty pulses in a single measurement period. Target acquisition times range from 0.3 to 0.7 seconds. Sophisticated error trapping algorithms are in place to ensure a reliable reading.
Laser Technology lasers are completely eye safe, meeting FDA Class 1 specifications. The radiated light power of our lasers is on the order of 50 microwatts, or approximately one twentieth the light power of a typical TV remote control.
For more information about Laser Technology's Laser Traffic Enforcement products, please visit www.lasertech.com.
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