Photonic super-resolution millimeter-wave joint radar-communication system using self-coherent detection

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Applied Physics
• Signal Processing

Background:

• Millimeter-wave (MMW) systems are crucial for high-bandwidth applications.
• Integrating radar and communication functionalities (JRC) presents significant challenges in signal processing and hardware complexity.
• Existing JRC systems often require expensive components like high-speed mixers and local oscillators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and experimentally demonstrate a super-resolution MMW JRC system.
• To develop a cost-effective solution for MMW radar and communication.
• To achieve real-time decomposition of radar and communication information.

Main Methods:

• Optical heterodyne upconversion and self-coherent detection downconversion techniques.
• Design of a coherent dual-band constant envelope linear frequency modulation-orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (LFM-OFDM) signal with opposite phase modulation indexes.
• Coherent fusion processing of dual-band JRC signals for super-resolution radar range profile.

Main Results:

• Experimental demonstration of a dual-band LFM-OFDM JRC signal at 54 GHz and 61 GHz.
• Achieved a 6-Gbit/s data rate for communication.
• Realized a 1.76-cm range resolution for radar, demonstrating super-resolution capabilities.
• Enabled self-coherent detection for both radar de-chirping and communication frequency downconversion, avoiding costly components.

Conclusions:

• The proposed MMW JRC system effectively integrates radar and communication functionalities.
• The novel dual-band LFM-OFDM signal and self-coherent detection offer a low-cost, high-performance solution.
• Super-resolution radar imaging and high-speed communication are simultaneously achieved.