Processing considerations for hybrid waveforms utilizing complementary phase coding and linear frequency stepping

Abstract

The processing necessary for a hybrid radar waveform utilizing both complementary phase coding and linear frequency stepping to achieve improved range resolution in a radar system which is processor-bandwidth limited is investigated. An advantage of the technique presented is that a radar system may be designed with a lower processor bandwidth consistent with the phase code chip time instead of the entire frequency excursion of the hybrid waveform. This translates into lower complexity and cost for the radar system. An overall processing structure is presented for realizing this design, which consists of a matched filter, phase compensator, and coherent summer, followed by an inverse FFT (fast Fourier transform) operation. The results of a simulation of the processor are presented to illustrate the resolution properties of the hybrid waveform.<>