Millimeterwave radar sensor for high accuracy position measurement in small machine tools

在SPP1476项目的一期工程中，利用雷达原理实现了微细机床测微仪的测距精度。在雷达传感器领域，以这种精度创造了记录。拟议项目的目标是开发一种雷达传感器，在不同的应用中提供自组织集成。因此，向参与项目的合作伙伴提供了实时、高精度、可在不同测量环境中轻松集成的小型雷达模块。项目合作伙伴一方面可以在他们的模块中测试雷达传感器，另一方面可以利用项目合作伙伴的经验来优化雷达传感器。在项目的进一步过程中，系统地研究雷达测量的局限性，并对高精度测量进行改进和改进。从而改善了SiGe芯片上的高频雷达信号产生和接收电路以及它们的相位稳定度。此外，芯片的封装、天线、信号处理算法和集成到机床中的能力也得到了改进。机床的小型化和雷达使用的高频对高频工程提出了更高的要求。因此，本项目的一个目标是调查测量环境，以便在机床的刀具中心点附近进行测量。考虑了两种基本的雷达方法，在自由空间测量，这总是受到金属环境的许多干扰多次反射的影响，以及在波导中进行制导测量。在这两种情况下，通过使用优化的天线和合适的雷达目标，将波的传播条件作为工作包的一部分来检查失配和多次反射。由于雷达测量的分辨率和可实现的精度基本上受到频率、带宽和相位稳定度的限制，因此在三个工作包中通过不同的芯片级方法来增强这三个限制因素。目标频率超过100 GHz，带宽为50 GHz，超出了最先进的水平。这也对芯片的封装和天线的馈电以及介电透镜的聚焦产生了新的要求。相关问题被视为另一个工作包的一部分。通过在项目中制定的解决方案，必须假设所实现的测量精度可以进一步提高到亚微米范围。

In the first project period of the SPP1476 project micrometer accuracy in range respectively position detection in micro machine tools was achieved using the radar principle. In the field of radar sensors with this accuracy a record is established. The goal of the proposed project is to develop a radar sensor, which provides ad-hoc integration in different applications. Therefore real-time, highly accurate, small radar-modules which can be easily integrated in different measurement settings are provided to participating project partners. The project partners obtain the possibility to test the radar sensor in their modules and on the other hand the experience of the project partners can be used to optimize the radar sensor.During the further course of the project, radar measurement are systematically investigated for their limits and improved for high-accuracy measurements and improved. Thus, the high-frequency radar circuits for signal generation and the receiver on SiGe chips, as well as their phase stabilization are improved. Additionally, the packaging of the chips, antennas, signal processing algorithms and the ability to integrate into machine tools are refined.The miniaturization of the machine tools and the high frequencies used for the radar result in high demands on the high frequency engineering. Thus a goal of this project is to investigate the measurement environment to carry out measurements close to the tool center point in a machine tool. Two basic radar approaches are considered, measurements in free space, which is always influenced by numerous disturbing multiple reflections of the metallic environment, and guided measurements in a waveguide. In both environments, the wave propagation conditions are examined as part of a work package in terms of mismatches and multiple reflections by using optimized antennas and appropriate radar targets.Since the resolution and thus the achievable accuracy of radar measurements is basically limited by the frequency, bandwidth and phase stability, these three limiting factors are enhanced by various approaches on chip level in three work packages. The aimed-at frequencies beyond 100 GHz with a bandwidth of 50 GHz are beyond the state of the art. This results also in new requirements for the packaging of the chips and the feeding of the antenna, as well as the focusing by a dielectric lens. The related problems are treated as part of another work package.Through the solutions developed within the project, it must be assumed that the achieved measurement accuracy can be further increased into the submicrometer range.