基于微波光子学的分布式相参孔径雷达

Distributed Coherent Aperture Radar Enabled by Microwave Photonics

分布式相参孔径雷达(DCAR)是利用多个空间分离的天线孔径,向同一区域辐射信号,实现空间电磁波相参合成的雷达系统,具有系统灵活、探测分辨力高、威力大、成本低等优势。结合微波光子技术在宽带信号产生、传输、处理等多方面的优势,可以使DCAR的性能得以充分发挥。该文介绍了清华大学在基于微波光子原理的高分辨DCAR方面的成果,借助微波光子技术,在接收相参模式下,产生了8.5～11.5 GHz, 0.5 Gbps编码速率的宽带正交调相线性调频波,距离分辨率优于0.05 m、正交性接近30 dB。在全相参模式下,发射波形可灵活切换为宽带相参线性调频波,实现全相参合成。系统产生的波形能满足DCAR各个工作模式的波形需求。实验中,在两部雷达的参与下,通过全相参合成,获得了8.3 dB的信噪比增益。

Distributed Coherent Aperture Radar (DCAR) utilizes multiple separated antenna apertures to emit signals in the same space area, realizing spatial coherent synthesis of electro-magnetic waves. Such a flexible radar system has advantages such as higher resolution, greater radar power, and lower cost. Combined with microwave photonic technologies, which have merits in wideband signal generation, transmission and procession, the DCAR has a comprehensive and better performance. This paper introduces a microwave photonics-based high-resolution distributed coherent aperture radar that was proposed by researchers of Tsinghua University. Taking advantages of microwave photonic technology, a group of wideband orthogonal phase-coded linear frequency modulation waves is generated in the coherence-on-receive mode, with the frequency ranging from 8.5 GHz to 11.5 GHz, all with phase coding under a bit rate of 0.5 Gbps. The orthogonality of the signals is nearly 30 dB, and the range resolution is better than 0.05 m. While in the full coherence mode, the transmitted waveforms can be flexibly switched to the wideband coherent linear frequency modulation waves, and the full coherent synthesis can be realized. The waveforms generated by the proposed system can meet the waveform requirements of the DCAR in different operation modes. In the experiment, full coherence is achieved with two sets of radars, resulting a signal- to-noise ratio gain of 8.3 dB.