A new low-cost 10 ns pulsed K(a)-band radar

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Radar Systems

Background:

• Conventional intermediate frequency building blocks are essential in radar systems.
• Accurate radar cross section measurements require specialized instrumentation.
• Outdoor measurements present challenges due to clutter and environmental factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a portable, K(a)-band instrumentation radar for outdoor radar cross section measurements.
• To improve target detail resolution and reduce close-to-ground surface clutter.
• To create a cost-effective and power-efficient radar solution.

Main Methods:

• Integration of two Gunn oscillators, intermediate frequency (IF) building blocks, and a modified Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) diode detector.
• Development of a monostatic radar system with a 10 ns pulse width.
• Implementation of microcontroller-based control for all radar functions.

Main Results:

• The K(a)-band radar operates at 37.8 GHz with +20 dBm output power and -76 dBm tangential sensitivity.
• Achieved a processing bandwidth of 125 MHz, accommodating Gunn device frequency drift (<15 MHz intra-pulse chirp).
• Demonstrated effective reduction of close-to-ground surface clutter and enhanced target detail resolution.

Conclusions:

• The developed portable radar system is suitable for detailed outdoor radar cross section measurements.
• The system's ability to mitigate clutter and resolve fine target details is advantageous for amplitude-fluctuating environments.
• The radar unit is portable (5 kg), operates on 12 V DC, and consumes less than 3 A, indicating a practical and efficient design.