Advancing Remote Sensing Technology Through Long-Wave Infrared Photonic Chaos

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) is a well-established remote sensing technology that utilizes laser light to measure distances with high precision. In this study, we report the first experimental realization of a chaos LiDAR system operating in the long-wave infrared (LWIR) domain, utilizing a distributed-feedback quantum cascade laser (DFB QCL) emitting at 9.34 μm. While recent advancements have successfully implemented frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) LiDAR systems in the LWIR region [1], these systems require complex frequency-sweeping mechanisms and are inherently more vulnerable to distortion and environmental noise. In contrast, chaos LiDAR mitigates these limitations by exploiting the intrinsic unpredictability of chaotic laser emission, thereby enhancing robustness against noise and delivering superior resolution capabilities [2].