A LIDAR system includes optics that generate a light signal that carries LIDAR data that indicates a distance and/or radial velocity between the optics and an object located outside of the LIDAR system. Electronics are configured to convert the light signal to a first data electrical signal and a second data electrical signal. The electronics perform a Complex Fourier transform on a complex signal such that the first data electrical signals acts a real component of the complex signal and the second data electrical signals acts as an imaginary component of the complex signal. The electronics determine the LIDAR data from an output of the Complex Fourier transform.