Ultra-wide bandwidth, multi-derivative radar systems

The potential applicability of multiderivative, localized wave (LW) arrays to radar and to other remote sensing systems is analyzed. The analysis includes the effects of having a target within the extended near-field region of an LW array. In particular, an electrically short (nonresonant) dipole transmitter-receiver system is chosen to illustrate the results because it is one of the simplest examples of a system whose output signals are related to the input driving functions by several time derivatives. Because of the different time derivatives involved, different portions of the frequency spectra of those signals will control the associated beam characteristics. Thus, a set of ultrawide bandwidth signals and an electromagnetic transmitter-receiver system can be designed to realize enhancements of a particular beam parameter. The LW solutions simply provide immediate access to this situation. The transmitter/receiver system configuration then becomes extremely important if enhanced performance is desired, and it must be tailored to the particular beam parameter of interest. Preliminary comparisons between an LW pulse driven array system and the corresponding conventional continuous wave system illustrate these results.<>