NEW! 200mW version for Airport Ground Control and other traffic applications

Millimeter-wave FMCW Radar Front-end

This new 94GHz FMCW radar front-end is the production-run OEM subsystem product.
There are two versions of the radar front-end currently: 10mW and 200mW. The applications of Radar Front-end are object location in construction and in survey measurements, vehicle obstacle detection and collision warning in transport area, level sensing for loose/granular materials and other applications.

The FMCW radar front-end is based on ELVA's unique IMPATT Diode Active Frequency Multiplier (AFM) that is driven by a microwave source to provide outputs in the frequency range of 20 GHz to 150 GHz. The operating frequency could be adjusted within abovementioned range in accordance with customer requirements. Currently the operating frequency of the radar is chosen at 94GHz within the atmospheric low-loss window from 80 GHz to 100 GHz. To meet the sensitivity and accuracy requirements, the frequency sweep of the transmitter is linearized, with the linearizer being implemented as an open-loop system. The advantage of this configuration is high output power with noise level from 15 dB to 20 dB and good linearity.

The advantage of radar based on IMPATT Diode Active Frequency Multiplier lies in the high internal multiplication factor of it. The problem of frequency sweep linearity was solved for microwave region, but it is still quite difficult for mm-waves. AFM based approach allows to use typical and cheap voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) as the core of radar architecture instead of Gunn diode. VCOs are offered in volumes on the market and available widely. When multiplied by IMPATT Diode AFM, the output signal of VCO has the same high frequency as a Gunn diode signal, but much more linear. Because cm-wave VCOs are available with very good linearity this eliminates the need in close-loop radar architecture that is featured for Gunn diode-based voltage controlled oscillators. The advantage of open-loop radar architecture from a close loop one is in the higher processing speed. In light of all these features, our FMCW radar front-end has lower cost, better output power and linearity compare to its competitors.

Currently we offer a choice of two standard antennas for this FMCW radar front-end. These are antennas with the gain of 30dB/40dB and beam width of 5.5/1.5 deg. Based on customer needs, we can also ship FMCW radar front-end with no antenna (as transceiver unit only) or make a wave guide matching for a special antenna, provided by the customer. Because of low signal absorption for the frequency chosen, the radar can successfully operate in both indoor and outdoor facilities, in dusty and humid air, at bad weather conditions (e.g. mines, aerodromes etc.). High probing signal power of 200 mW in combination with the low noise figure of the receiver makes it possible to apply the FMCW Radar for distances of several hundreds meters long. The device is compact and has simple and reliable power supply unit.

ELVA-1 Millimeter Wave Division provides a range of OEM/ODM mm-wave components and sub-system products for our customers in the microwave industry. With a team of very experienced engineers and manufacturing facilities/research labs we do all our best to assure customers of the best quality of our OEM products. We'll be happy to cover your purchasing needs as a preferred supplier of mm-wave components and sub-systems.

For quotations please contact us at
+7-812-326 5924 (ph),
+7-812-326 1060 (FAX)
or e-mail on sales@elva-1.spb.ru

Click here to see more detailed info on FMCW radar front-end with test report enclosed.

Note: To view these PDFs you need Acrobat Reader version 4.01 or later. To obtain the latest copy of Acrobat Reader, please visit www.acrobat.com