Fundamental Limits of HRR Profiling and Velocity Compensation for Stepped-Frequency Waveforms

A stepped-frequency (SF) waveform is effective in achieving high-range resolution (HRR) in modern radars. In this paper, we determine various fundamental limits of the SF waveform regarding the ambiguity, stability, and accuracy of stationary target profiling and the velocity compensation accuracy for moving targets. The investigation reveals that by using the information contained in both the phase and envelope of the echo signal, SF radars can achieve HRR profiles without ambiguity under a looser criterion and can compensate the range shift caused by a target's radial velocity. The results of this paper can aid in SF waveform design and in the development of processing algorithms for HRR profiling and velocity compensation.