An ultra wideband (UWB) polarimetric millimetre wave 94 GHz radar that uses binary random phase coding to provide a lightweight, all-weather remote measurement capability with high resolution is under development. The radar has a much simplified architecture that can be readily extended to other applications via “plug and play”. Its high performance at relatively low cost is achieved by carefully exploiting Commercial-Off-The-Shelf components (COTS). The completed radar will be demonstrated operating in a proof-of-concept surface mapping mode in a representative environment later in 2006. The financial support of UK DTI and Advantage West Midlands (AWM) is gratefully acknowledged. The support of the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Dr John Fagg, Head of Applied Sciences, Geography and Archaeology, University of Worcester and colleagues, Drs Ian Maddock, Fleur Visser and Graham Hill, Professor Peter Hill and Dr Edward Hoare at the University of Birmingham together with Nigel Priestley and Martin Westmoreland at e2v Technologies Ltd is also gratefully acknowledged.

Dr Wynn presented the background to the project and discussed candidate waveforms including ultra wideband radar (UWB) and random signal radar (RSR). An analysis of radar performance in terms of cross-ambiguity functions was presented giving an outline of the radar system comprised of antenna, tranceiver, processor and display. An optically activated waveguide-based millimetre wave phase modulator with sub-nanosecond switching speed was introduced for binary random phase coding of carrier signals at millimetre wavelengths. A spatial RF power combining technique was also briefly introduced that will generate RF at power levels in excess of 240 mW using second harmonic 94 GHz graded gap Gunn GaAs diodes. Dr Wynn presented performance predictions and applications before concluding with a summary.

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