Microwave Photonic MIMO Radar for Short-Range 3D Imaging

In the fields of radar imaging and detection, the use of optical components appears as an attractive solution to overcome limitations of current technologies. This paper focuses on the development of a new class of microwave-photonic radar imaging systems enabling volumetric image reconstruction. These operations are made possible using a multiple-input multiple-output antenna array architecture combined with the conception of a dedicated optical multiplexing technology to limit the complexity of the whole reception chain. Particular emphasis is placed on the development of mathematical formalisms specifically adapted to these microwave-photonic radar architectures, making it possible to model the measurements carried out and to reconstruct three-dimensional radar images. These solutions are validated by the reconstruction of complex scenes with a multiple-input multiple-output radar made of up to 16 transmitters and 16 receivers.