Lidar system

A lidar system comprising:

• a light source configured to emit a pulse of light into a field of view;
• a receiver configured to detect a return pulse of light which comprises at least a portion of the emitted pulse of light which is reflected or scattered by a target in the field of view, the receiver comprising:
• an avalanche photodiode configured to generate an electrical-current pulse corresponding to the return pulse of light,
• a transimpedance amplifier configured to produce a voltage pulse that corresponds to the electrical-current pulse,
• a voltage amplifier configured to amplify the voltage pulse to produce an amplified voltage pulse,
• a first comparator configured to produce a first edge signal when the amplified voltage pulse exceeds a first threshold, and
• a time-to-digital converter configured to determine a first time interval based on an emission time of the pulse of light and based on the first edge signal wherein the emission time of the pulse of light is determined from an optical trigger signal associated with detection by the receiver of a portion of the emitted pulse of light which is scattered or reflected from a surface located within the lidar system;
• and
• a processor configured to determine a distance to the target using the first time interval.