Prospects of FMCW-based frequency diverse array radar

Abstract

The linear frequency modulated (LFM) frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW)-based frequency diverse array (FDA) radar concept is investigated in detail. The radar operates as a linear pulsed FMCW/FDA in the transmission (TX) mode while it operates as a pulsed FMCW/phased array (PA) in the receiving mode. The issues such as low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of FDA, the time-angle scanning and time-range ambiguities are studied. It is shown that the local instantaneous frequency bandwidth is much smaller than the radio frequency (RF) deviation of LFM. Positive and negative slope TX/RF locations offer frequency diversity. Time domain and frequency domain signal processings are described. A Ku band direct digital synthesis-based FMCW/FDA radar example based on the cumulative detection scheme is given and compared with an equivalent FMCW/PA radar.

Keywords

• direct digital synthesis
• signal processing
• phased array radar
• radar signal processing
• fm radar
• frequency modulation
• cw radar
• fmcw-based frequency diverse array radar
• linear frequency
• linear pulsed fmcw
• local instantaneous frequency bandwidth
• frequency diversity
• frequency domain signal processings