Application of Doppler beam sharpening for azimuth refinement in prospective low‐THz automotive radars. Issue 10 (11th September 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Daniel, Liam; Stove, Andrew; Hoare, Edward; Phippen, Dominic; Cherniakov, Mike; Mulgrew, Bernie; Gashinova, Marina
• Is Part Of: IET radar, sonar & navigation. Volume 12:Issue 10(2018)
• Page Start: 1121
• Page End: 1130
• Publication Date: 2018-09-11
• Subjects: array signal processing -- scanning antennas -- road vehicle radar -- radar antennas -- radar imaging; azimuth refinement -- automotive radars -- Doppler beam sharpening technique -- angular refinement -- emerging area -- radar sensing -- radar image quality -- azimuth plane -- excellent range resolution -- object classification -- low‐THz radar -- autonomous platforms -- fundamental theory -- automotive sensing -- synthetic beamwidths -- low‐THz DBS -- controlled laboratory conditions -- accurately localised target objects -- unique object -- wide azimuthal beamwidth antennas -- narrow beam; Signal processing -- Periodicals; Radar -- Periodicals; Sonar -- Periodicals; Electronics in navigation -- Periodicals; Navigation -- Periodicals; 621.3848
• DOI: 10.1049/iet-rsn.2018.5024
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-8784

Abstract

Abstract : In this study, the authors investigate the application of the Doppler beam sharpening (DBS) technique for angular refinement to the emerging area of low‐terahertz (THz) radar sensing. Ultimately this is to improve radar image quality in the azimuth plane to complement the excellent range resolution and thus improve object classification in low‐THz radar imaging systems for autonomous platforms. The study explains the fundamental theory behind the process of DBS and describes the applicability of DBS to automotive sensing, indicating the potential for synthetic beamwidths of a fraction of a degree. Low‐THz DBS was experimentally tested under controlled laboratory conditions, not only to accurately localised target objects in Cartesian space but also to provide unique object imaging at low‐THz frequencies with wide azimuthal beamwidth antennas. It was shown that a stationary (i.e. non‐scanned) wide beam antenna mounted on a moving platform can deliver imagery at least comparable to that produced by physical beamforming, be that steering arrays or narrow beam scanning antennas as in the experimental case presented.