Comparison of uwb short-pulse and stepped-frequency radar systems for imaging through barriers

Abstract

A canonical problem is used to investigate the effects of various radar parameters on the performance of both stepped-frequency and short-pulse through-barrier radar imaging systems. For simplicity, a two-dimensional problem is considered, consisting of a perfectly conducting strip located behind a lossy dielectric slab of infinite extent illuminated by line sources. To assess the impact of the parameters on system performance, radar received images of the target are created using the reflected field computed at several positions in front of the barrier and adjacent to the sources. Specific radar parameters considered include sample rate, A/D bit length, pulse width, and target SNR for a time-domain system. For a stepped-frequency system, A/D bit length, bandwidth, and target SNR are considered.