抄録
A Compact and simple distance meter based on self-coupling effect of semiconductor laser has been developed. Using the interference in the laser resonator with the returned light from the external surface, the sensor of the distance meter is composed of only a laser diode and a lens. As it has no external interference optics, it could be much smaller than the interference measurement. The drive current of the semiconductor laser is modulated with not only a triangular wave current but also a sinusoidal wave current. It is confirmed that the device modulated with sinusoidal wave can measure the distance with the same accuracy as one with triangular wave, and that the former is superior to the latter in the temperature characteristic.
The measurement error is found to be below one percent between 20cm and 90cm.
