A scanning laser Doppler technique based on Chebyshev demodulation has been developed for the rapid measurement of spatially distributed velocity profiles. Scan frequencies up to 100 Hz can be used over scanlengths up to 270 mm. The Doppler signals are processed in the conventional manner using a frequencycounter. The analog velocity output from the counter is post-processed to obtain the velocity profile. TheChebyshev demodulation post-processing technique for processing the velocity signals from solid surfaces hasbeen introduced. The data processing technique directly yields the spatial velocity distribution in approximate functional form through frequency domain analysis of the scanning LDV velocity output. Results froma rotating disk setup are presented to illustrate the concept. © 1990 Optical Society of America.