STTR Phase I: A D-band, silicon-based, phased array radar front-end module for smart sensing applications

这项小型企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是开发一种毫米波成像雷达传感器，与现有雷达产品相比，该传感器具有显着优势，包括更小的外形尺寸、更低的制造成本、更少的信号处理和集成复杂性，以及改进的探测性能，如范围和分辨率。所提出的微型成像雷达传感器支持多用途部署，可广泛应用于各种短距离和中距离无线传感用例，包括工业安全监控、建筑安全、医疗和保健设施中的患者监控等。拟议的研究旨在与联邦通信委员会（FCC）最近为全球雷达传感器市场开发新技术的计划保持一致。拟议中的技术需要初创公司和大学团队之间的密切合作，这将加强美国工业界和学术界的合作伙伴关系。这项小型企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在研究和演示d波段前端相控阵雷达模块设计的可行性，该设计使成像雷达传感器能够在100 GHz以上的带宽下工作。正在考虑的雷达模块原型包括可扩展的面积高效前端架构，由可批量生产的硅技术支持的相控阵收发器电路，以及符合标准制造和组装工艺的低成本封装天线（AiP）。提出的研究包括前端系统和核心电路模块的详细设计分析、建模和仿真验证。该项目还包括天线原型设计和模块级集成的可行性分析。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to develop a millimeter-wave imaging radar sensor with significant advantages over current radar products including a smaller form factor, lower manufacturing cost, less signal processing and integration complexity, and improved detection performance such as range and resolution. The proposed miniature imaging radar sensor supports versatile deployment and can be ubiquitously applied to a wide range of short- and medium-distance wireless sensing use cases including industrial safety monitoring, building security, patient surveillance in medical and healthcare facilities, etc. The proposed research seeks to aligns with the Federal Communications Commission's (FCC’s) recent plan to develop new technologies for the global radar sensor market. The proposed technology requires close collaboration between the startup and a university team, which will enhance industry/academia partnerships in the United States.This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project seeks to study and demonstrate feasibility of a D-band, front-end phased array radar module design that enables an imaging radar sensor capable of operating beyond 100 GHz with a wide bandwidth. The radar module prototype under consideration consists of a scalable area-efficient front-end architecture, phased array transceiver circuits supported by a mass-producible silicon technology, and a low-cost antenna-in-package (AiP) compliant with standard manufacturing and assembly process. The proposed research includes detailed design analysis, modeling, and simulation verification of a front-end system and core circuit blocks. The project also includes antenna prototype designs and feasibility analysis for module-level integration.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.