Transmit code design for extended target detection in the presence of clutter

In this paper, we consider the problem of transmit code design to optimize the detection probability of an extended target embedded in Gaussian signal-dependent interference. We model the target with a priori known target impulse response (TIR) structure along with an unknown reflection factor. As is known, the performance of the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) detector, for the case at hand, monotonically increases with the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR). Hence, we deal with the code design problem via maximizing the SINR. We also enforce a peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) constraint on the sought code. We devise a cyclic method to tackle the highly non-convex design problem. Numerical results highlight the effectiveness of the proposed method to improve the detection performance of the system.