Open AccessKa-band microwave photonic ultra-wideband imaging radar for capturing quantitative target information
Author(s) -
Anle Wang,
Jianghai Wo,
Xiong Luo,
Yalan Wang,
Wenshan Cong,
Pengfei Du,
Junkai Zhang,
Biao Zhao,
Jin Zhang,
Yufan Zhu,
Lan Jiang-qiao,
Yu Li
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.26.020708
Subject(s) - synthetic aperture radar , radar imaging , radar , inverse synthetic aperture radar , microwave imaging , optics , microwave , remote sensing , wideband , pulse doppler radar , waveform , continuous wave radar , computer science , physics , telecommunications , geology
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 on corresponding high-resolution microwave images, quantitative information of the targets can be identified, which shows the great potential of the radar demonstrator for various remote sensing applications.