FMCW linearizer bandwidth requirements

Author

Piper, Sam O.

Author_Institution

Radar Syst. Appl. Lab., Georgia Inst. of Technol., Atlanta, GA, USA

fYear

1991

fDate

12-13 Mar 1991

Firstpage

142

Lastpage

146

Abstract

The frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) linearity achievable as a function of the bandwidth of the linearizing frequency sweep modulator or linearizer is analyzed. This analysis pertains to millimeter-wave (MMW) radar seekers for short range air-to-ground missiles that employ the FMCW waveform because of weight, volume, and prime power advantages. Fine range resolution, which depends on good frequency sweep linearity, improves the target-to-clutter power ratio by reducing the clutter area. This analysis shows that an extremely wide bandwidth linearizer is required for high range resolution with the sawtooth FMCW waveform. Time gating at the ends of the frequency sweep significantly reduces the nonlinearity. Triangle FMCW requires less linearizer bandwidth than the sawtooth modulation for a given linearity

Keywords

frequency modulation; military systems; missiles; modulators; radar systems; MM wave radar seekers; air-to-ground missiles; bandwidth; frequency-modulated continuous-wave; linearizing frequency sweep modulator; range resolution; sawtooth FMCW waveform; sawtooth modulation; short range missiles; target-to-clutter power ratio; time gating; triangle FMCW; Bandwidth; Chirp modulation; Circuit optimization; Filters; Frequency estimation; Frequency modulation; Linear approximation; Linearity; Millimeter wave radar; Radar applications;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Radar Conference, 1991., Proceedings of the 1991 IEEE National

Conference_Location

Los Angeles, CA

Print_ISBN

0-87942-629-2

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/NRC.1991.114747

Filename

114747