A 77 GHz radar frontend in LTCC for small range, high precision industrial applications

The precise measurement of distances is a common task in industrial processes, which is addressed by a number of sensor solutions available on the market. There are applications, where the environmental conditions prohibit or complicate the use of standard solutions like optical or capacitive sensing, but radar systems are an option. In this paper, a 77 GHz radar frontend is presented, that is capable of measuring targets in a small distance of a few centimeters with a precision in the ten micrometer scale. The paper's focus are the technological aspects of the system integration and design.