Range‐angle beamforming with frequency diverse array radar using irregular superposed multicarrier approach for target indication

Abstract

Due to the rapid progress of electronic countermeasures in the radar area, it is urgent to meet the demand of novel technologies that possess more possibilities for precise target indication without the influence of mainlobe jamming.Recently, frequency diverse array (FDA) steals the spotlight due to its property of range-angle-dependent beamforming. Besides, the multicarrier methods are also presented to generate range-dependent beampattern. In this paper, a novel multicarrier approach is proposed based on FDA radar, namely, irregular superposed multicarrier approach. Pencil-shaped range-angle beampattern can be generated. Moreover, in the equal amount of frequency components, our proposed scheme outperforms the existing multicarrier FDA systems considering four aspects of performance. Simulations and comparative results validate the superiority of the proposed scheme.

Highly focussed beampattern synthesis in FDA‐MIMO radar with multicarrier transmission

“…In [32], a log‐distributed multicarrier frequency is proposed for beampattern synthesis experiments, as in Equation (51). The frequency design of irregular superposition multicarrier schemes is expressed exactly in [36], as Equation (52). $$${\widehat{f}}_{l}=l\cdot {f}_{b},l=0,1,\text{\ldots },L-1,$$$ $$${\widehat{f}}_{l}=\mathrm{log}\left(l\right)\cdot {f}_{b},l=0,1,\text{\ldots },L-1,$$$ $$${f}_{n}=n\cdot {\widehat{f}}_{l},l=0,1,\text{\ldots },L-1,$$$ …”

“…Drawing on a novel multicarrier structure with irregular superposition, Tan et al. raise range resolution and reduce maximum sidelobe levels but lose some angle resolution [36]. Despite all the efforts, it was impossible to simultaneously guarantee the high anti‐interference capability of angle and range dimensions.…”

“…To be specific, a multicarrier hybrid receiver is exploited for coherent pulsed Doppler FDA radar that efficiently detects the range information of the moving target from radar echo signal [11,35]. Drawing on a novel multicarrier structure with irregular superposition, Tan et al raise range resolution and reduce maximum sidelobe levels but lose some angle resolution [36]. Despite all the efforts, it was impossible to simultaneously guarantee the high anti-interference capability of angle and range dimensions.…”

A review of microwave electronically scanned array: Concepts and applications

“…Frequency scanning arrays mainly have two forms including leaky-wave antennas 19,20 and frequency diverse arrays. 21,22 In recent years, combinations of the phased array and the frequency scanning array for 2-dimensional (2-D) electronic scanning are also reported. 23 In addition to those traditional 3-D space electronically scanned arrays discussed above, there is a novel 4-D antenna array 24 which introduces the time as the fourth dimension into the conventional antenna array, also known as the time-modulated array.…”

“…Changing the frequency of the input signal can control the pointing angle of the arrays. Frequency scanning arrays mainly have two forms including leaky‐wave antennas 19,20 and frequency diverse arrays 21,22 . In recent years, combinations of the phased array and the frequency scanning array for 2‐dimensional (2‐D) electronic scanning are also reported 23 …”