Title: Low C-SWaP Long Range LiDAR SoC with On-chip Histogramming
Presenting Author: Dale Shane Smith
Organization: SenselCs Corporation
Co-Author(s): -

Abstract:
As a part of a NASA Earth Science Technology Office (ESTO) Advanced Component Technology Program (ACT–22), SenseICs Corporation, an Ohio based fabless microelectronics design company, has been developing a low cost, size, weight, and power (C-SWaP) Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) System on a Chip (SoC) integrated circuit (IC), named the DARSoC. The DARSoC has a reconfigurable front end (FE), to accommodate a range of detector specifications, that is robust enough for Earth science and space-based missions. The DARSoC will convert Time-of-Flight (ToF) LiDAR measurements to digital numbers (DN) for use in low and high photon count Earth science research applications in orbit or within the atmosphere. SenseICs, OSU, and JPL are collaborating on the design of the DARSoC for use in LiDAR instruments. The DARSoC development stems from existing intellectual property (IP) from a radiation tolerant ASIC with a fast FE and ToF histogram processing. We began with a baseline goal of developing a 16-channel system. This will contain a per-channel reconfigurable FE to operate with Geiger mode or linear mode avalanche photodiodes and a time to digital converter (TDC) for ToF LiDAR. The DARSoC will have programmable on-chip histogramming capability and range gating options to enable operations within airborne and spaceborne platforms. A data collection and serialization block will also be designed for packetizing and transmitting the digitized data streams off chip. Within the next year, our goal is to begin testing of the first fabricated DARSoC prototype within a benchtop LiDAR system.