Systems and methods for time of flight laser pulse engineering

A method of time-of-flight imaging, the method comprising:

• emitting a broad area light pulse with a broad area multi junction laser diode;
• detecting an incoming light including a reflected light pulse with an imaging sensor;
• and
• measuring an elapsed time-of-flight between emitting the broad area light pulse and detecting the reflected light pulse.

A time-of-flight imaging system, the system comprising:

• a multi junction laser light source having an active emitter width of 100 microns or greater and an active emitter length of 500 microns or greater, the multi-junction laser light source configured to produce a pulse of output light in a first wavelength range;
• and
• a time-of-flight camera, the time-of-flight camera including:
• an imaging sensor having a plurality of pixels and a shutter system to selectively allow an exposure of light to the plurality of pixels, the shutter system having a rise and fall time of at least 1 nanosecond,
• a pulse coordination device configured to temporally coordinate the pulse of output light from the multi junction laser diode and an exposure of light to the plurality of pixels with a duration of the pulse of output light,
• a band-pass filter, the band-pass filter configured to pass a second wavelength range to the imaging sensor, the first wavelength range and second wavelength range at least partially overlapping, and
• a time measurement device configured to measure an elapsed time-of-flight of the pulse of output light to the imaging sensor.