Mixing layer height (MLH) is a key parameter for evaluating the transport and diffusion of atmospheric pollu- tants in both air quality forecasting and satellite data retrieval. However, there is a lack of methods for obtaining the nocturnal MLH. In this study, a novel instrument named the charge-coupled device-laser aerosol detection system (CCD-LADS) was developed to study the nocturnal MLH and boundary layer structure from the surface. The system mainly includes a continuous laser and a charge-coupled device camera with a fisheye lens. Structures of atmospheric layers characterized by the CCD-LADS were compared with those measured by a ceilometer. The heights of two atmospheric layers quantified by measurements with the CCD-LADS and the ceilometer show good agreement, with a relative difference of 5%. The results of this comparison demonstrated that the CCD-LADS is capable of distinctly identifying the nocturnal vertical structure of the atmosphere. The advantage of the CCD-LADS in retrieving the nocturnal MLH is that the CCD-LADS can provide the boundary layer structures under 100 m, while the ceilometer and other lidar measurements cannot retrieve the atmo- spheric structures below that altitude. CCD-LADS was deployed in a comprehensive field campaign measuring air pollution in the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, located at the border between the North China Plain and Yanshan Mountain, during January 2016. The fine characteristics and patterns of the nocturnal boundary layer structures were derived with the CCD-LADS measurements.