Microwave Absolute Distance Measurement Method with Ten-Micron-Level Accuracy and Meter-Level Range Based on...

Area of Science:

• Microwave Engineering
• Metrology
• Optical Physics

Background:

• Accurate distance measurement is crucial in various scientific and engineering fields.
• Existing microwave ranging technologies face limitations in precision, range, or complexity.
• Frequency domain interferometry offers a promising approach for enhanced metrology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and experimentally demonstrate a novel microwave absolute distance measurement method.
• To achieve ten-micron-level accuracy and meter-level range using frequency domain interferometry.
• To evaluate the method's performance, including accuracy, range, resolution, and measurement speed.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical analysis of frequency domain interference fringes.
• Experimental demonstration in the X-band using homologous broad-spectrum microwave beams.
• Utilizing a digitizer and Fourier transform analyzer for fast measurements.

Main Results:

• Achieved standard deviations of 15 μm, 17 μm, and 26 μm within ranges of 1.69 m, 2.69 m, and 3.75 m.
• Demonstrated a displacement resolution of 100 microns.
• Verified multi-target recognition capability and achieved a 20 μs measurement time.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method provides a breakthrough in microwave absolute distance measurement.
• It offers high precision, large range, and rapid measurement with easily obtainable components.
• The technique exhibits excellent engineering applicability due to simplified signal processing requirements.