Calibrated optical pulse generation

A method, comprising:

• producing from a seed laser diode a seed optical signal;
• providing to the seed laser diode or a semiconductor optical amplifier, a profiled compensation current associated with an amplifier current pulse to at least in part control a frequency chirp of an emitted amplified optical pulse, wherein the frequency chirp is induced by the amplifier current pulse;
• providing to the semiconductor optical amplifier the amplifier current pulse;
• generating the amplified optical pulse in response to the provided amplifier current pulse;
• and
• emitting the amplified optical pulse.

A system, comprising:

• a driver configured to provide a profiled compensation current to at least in part control a frequency chirp of an emitted optical pulse, and wherein the profiled compensation current is associated with an injected amplifier current pulse;
• a seed laser diode configured to emit a seed optical signal and to receive the profiled compensation current;
• a semiconductor optical amplifier configured to, based on the injected amplifier current pulse, amplify the seed optical signal to produce the emitted optical pulse;
• a scanner configured to scan the emitted optical pulse within a configured field of regard;
• a detector configured to detect at least a portion of the emitted optical pulse scattered by a target located downrange from the system;
• and
• a processor configured to analyze detected information from the detector to provide one or more measurement signals associated with the target.