Geology

Continuous-wave radar

Computer science

Synthetic aperture radar

Optics

Pulse-Doppler radar

Inverse synthetic aperture radar

Telecommunications

Radar imaging

Microwave

Waveform

Radar

Remote sensing

Physics

Microwave imaging

Wideband

Optics Express

Extracting precise target characteristics from microwave image is needed and calls for high-resolution microwave imaging radar systems. In this paper, a Ka-band ultra-wideband microwave photonic (MWP) imaging radar is developed and experimentally demonstrated. In the transmitter, continuous ultra-wideband linear frequency modulation (LFM) wave is generated based on optical frequency sextupling technique. In the receiver, a combination of optical frequency mixer with fiber delay lines and electric analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is capable of receiving target echoes and imaging targets with different distances. The maximum instantaneous bandwidth of the transmitted waveform is measured to be 10.02 GHz and corresponding range resolution is calibrated to be 1.68 cm. Out-field tests with demonstrator working at synthetic aperture radar (SAR) or inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) mode are carried out. Different targets such as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), airliner and Leifeng pagoda are imaged. Based o...

Ka-band microwave photonic ultra-wideband imaging radar for capturing quantitative target information