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

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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.