Broadband polarization interferometric time-integrating acousto-optic correlator for random noise radar

Sangtaek Kim; Kelvin H. Wagner; Ram Mohan Narayanan; Wei Zhou

doi:10.1117/1.2084807

1 October 2005 Broadband polarization interferometric time-integrating acousto-optic correlator for random noise radar

Sangtaek Kim, Kelvin H. Wagner, Ram Mohan Narayanan, Wei Zhou

Author Affiliations +

Optical Engineering, Vol. 44, Issue 10, 108202 (October 2005). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2084807

Abstract

We describe a time-integrating acousto-optic correlator (TIAOC) developed for imaging and target detection using a wideband random-noise radar system. This novel polarization interferometric in-line TIAOC uses an intensity-modulated laser diode for the random noise reference and a polarization-switching, self-collimating acoustic shear-mode gallium phosphide (GaP) acousto-optic device for traveling-wave modulation of the radar returns. The time-integrated correlation output is detected on a 1-D charge-coupled device (CCD) detector array and calibrated and demodulated in real time to produce the complex radar range profile. The complex radar reflectivity is measured in more than 150 radar range bins in parallel on the 3000 pixels of the CCD, improving target acquisition speeds and sensitivities by 150 over previous serial analog correlator approaches. The polarization interferometric detection of the correlation using the undiffracted light as the reference allows us to use the full acousto-optic device (AOD) bandwidth as the system bandwidth. Also, the experimental result shows the fully complex random-noise signal correlation and coherent demodulation without an explicit carrier, demonstrating that optically processed random-noise radars do not need a stable local oscillator.

©(2005) Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE)

Citation Download Citation

Sangtaek Kim, Kelvin H. Wagner, Ram Mohan Narayanan, and Wei Zhou "Broadband polarization interferometric time-integrating acousto-optic correlator for random noise radar," Optical Engineering 44(10), 108202 (1 October 2005). https://doi.org/10.1117/1.2084807

Published: 1 October 2005

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available