The Mission
Time-of-flight ranging measures distance by measuring time. A laser fires, light travels to a target and back, and a detector records when it returns. The accuracy of the range depends directly on the accuracy of the timing chain: when the emitter fired, when the detector was armed, and when the counter started. A pulse and delay generator anchors that chain, firing the emitter and arming the receive gate from one synchronized reference.
In a LiDAR test bench or a prototype rangefinder, the generator stands in for the system clock, letting engineers sweep delays, gate out near-field returns, and characterize the receiver against a known timing reference.
The Challenge
Range resolution is a timing problem. Light covers about 30 cm in one nanosecond round trip, so picosecond-class delay resolution and low jitter translate directly into centimeter and millimeter ranging precision. The emitter trigger has to be fast and clean so the optical pulse leaves at a well-defined instant. The receive gate has to open at a programmable delay to reject backscatter and arm only over the range window of interest.
Many emitters are not voltage-triggered logic loads but current-driven laser diodes, which need a current pulse rather than a TTL edge. The timing instrument has to either drive that load directly or trigger a dedicated current driver with tight, repeatable timing.
Recommended Berkeley Nucleonics Solutions
For the timing core, the Model 765 brings 70 ps rise time, 10 ps delay and width resolution, and roughly 4 ps RMS jitter across 2 or 4 channels, fast and fine enough to fire the emitter and step the receive gate at the resolution ranging demands. Where you need femtosecond-class delay setting and the lowest jitter for receiver characterization, the Model 745T reaches 1 ps delay resolution with about 5 ps jitter and locks to an external clock.
For current-driven emitters, pair the timing generator with a current pulser. The Model 507 supplies adjustable current up to 25 A across 2 or 4 channels for high-drive emitters and initiators, while the Model 508 delivers precise, repeatable current pulses up to 6 A per channel with 100 ns resolution, 10 ns RMS jitter, and built-in current and resistance monitoring. The timing generator sets the schedule; the current pulser drives the diode.
Why It Works
Anchoring emission and the receive gate to one reference removes the largest source of ranging error, the relationship between transmit and receive timing. The 765 and 745T provide the picosecond resolution that turns into centimeter and finer range precision, and their programmable gate delay rejects near-field clutter. Splitting voltage timing from current drive lets the 507 or 508 handle the laser diode load while the timing instrument keeps the schedule exact.
Getting Started
Berkeley Nucleonics application engineers help match channel count, edge speed, jitter budget, and output module to your timing diagram before you order. Send a block diagram or a short description of the events you need to synchronize, and we will return a configuration recommendation.
Email info@berkeleynucleonics.com or call 800-234-7858. Browse the full Pulse & Delay Generator documentation for datasheets, manuals, and ordering guides.