SBIR Phase I: Millimeter Wave Imaging System Using Evanescent Wave Coupling Antenna

* 摘要 小行星9661743 这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目解决了毫米波（MMW）成像的核心问题。毫米波成像正成为遥感的一个有吸引力的选择，因为毫米波具有穿透不利天气或其他大气遮蔽物的优势，并且在某种程度上因为毫米波波束穿透材料的能力，同时保持合理的空间分辨率。虽然毫米波成像开发商的主要目标是创建一个毫米波等效的红外凝视阵列，提供必要的毫米波探测器性能在一个负担得起的价格是巨大的困难。使用具有快速扫描低成本天线的单个高质量MMW检测器可以使MMW成像系统更容易实现。所提出的天线概念使用渐逝波光栅耦合器来形成可以在非常高的帧速率下工作的二维扫描天线。拟议的研究将展示概念验证，同时推进对潜在物理现象的理解。第二阶段将导致低成本的原型毫米波辐射成像系统的制造。 毫米波成像系统正在考虑用于飞机自主着陆引导、汽车交通监控、火灾探测和其他监视功能以及隐藏武器探测。***

*** ABSTRACT 9661743 Manasson This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project addresses a central problem of millimeter wave (MMW) imaging. MMW imaging is becoming an attractive option for remote sensing because millimeter waves have the advantage of penetrating adverse weather or other atmospheric obscurants, and to some extent because of MMW beams' ability to penetrate materials, while retaining reasonable spatial resolution. While a major goal of MMW imaging developers is to create an MMW equivalent of an IR staring array, the difficulties associated with providing the necessary MMW detector performance at an affordable price are immense. Use of a single, high quality MMW detector with a rapidly scanning low cost antenna can make a MMW imaging system more readily achievable. The proposed antenna concept uses an evanescent wave grating coupler to form a two-dimensional scanning antenna that can work at very high frame rates. The proposed research will demonstrate a proof-of-concept while advancing the understanding of the underlying physical phenomena. Phase II will result in fabrication of a prototype low-cost MMW radiometric imaging system. MMW imaging systems are being considered for autonomous landing guidance for aircraft, automotive traffic monitoring, fire detection and other surveillance functions and for concealed weapons detection. ***