volume | PIER Journals

Abstract

The design and calibration of high-precision analog phase shifters are crucial issues for phased arrays interferometric passive millimeter-wave imaging systems. In this paper, a high-precision analog phase shifter is presented for phased arrays interferometric passive millimeter-wave security sensing applications, which realizes analog phase shifting function by controlling high-precision DAC (digital to analog conversion) with FPGA. It is known that pre-measured phase delay of a phased array channel is a prerequisite for beam pointing control. However, since many active devices are included in phased array channel link, the phase delay would be affected by various factors such as device moving and ambient temperature. So, high-precision phase shifting of phased arrays could be achieved only by measuring and calibrating phases when all components of the system are under normal working conditions. The algorithm proposed in this paper makes it possible to measure and calibrate phases when all sub-modules are integrated into the system, and each component is under normal working state, thus effectively avoiding the errors caused by environmental changes when the laboratory-measured results are put into practical use. Meanwhile, the algorithm is tested on Ka-band phased arrays interferometric passive millimeter-wave imaging system. It turns out that the phase accuracy of phased array channel can reach 5°±1.5°, and it only takes 2 minutes to complete the phase calibrationof 256 arrays.

1. Le Vine, D. M., "The sensitivity of synthetic aperture radiometers for remote sensing applications from space," Radio Sci., Vol. 25, 441-453, 1990.
doi:10.1029/RS025i004p00441

2. Le Vine, D. M., "Synthetic aperture radiometer systems," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., Vol. 47, 2228-2236, 1999.
doi:10.1109/22.808964

3. Weber, J. C. and M. W. Pospieszalski, "Microwave instrumentation for radio astronomy," IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Tech., Vol. 50, 986-995, 2002.
doi:10.1109/22.989982

4. Thompson, A. R., J. M. Moran, G. W. Swenson, and Jr., Interferometry and Synthesis in Radio Astronomy, Wiley, New York, NY, USA, 2001.
doi:10.1002/9783527617845

5. Yujiri, L., M. Shoucri, and P. Moffa, "Passive millimeter wave imaging," IEEE Microw. Mag., Vol. 4, 39-50, 2003.
doi:10.1109/MMW.2003.1237476

6. Appleby, R. and H. B. Wallace, "Standoff detection of weapons and contraband in the 100 GHz to 1THz region," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag., Vol. 55, 2944-2956, 2007.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2007.908543

7. Ahmed, S. S., A. Schiessl, F. Gumbmann, M. Tiebout, S. Methfessel, and L. P. Schmidt, "Advanced microwave imaging," IEEE Microw. Mag., Vol. 13, 26-43, 2012.
doi:10.1109/MMM.2012.2205772

8. Patel, V. M., J. N. Mait, D. W. Prather, and A. S. Hedden, "Computational millimeter wave imaging: Problems, progress and prospects," IEEE Signal Process. Mag., Vol. 33, 109-118, 2016.
doi:10.1109/MSP.2016.2581206

9. Nanzer, J. A., Microwave and Millimeter-wave Remote Sensing for Security Applications, Artech House, Norwood, MA, USA, 2012.

10. Wang, C., X. Xin, B. Liang, et al. "Quadrature errors and DC offsets calibration of analog complex cross-correlator for interferometric passive millimeter-wave imaging applications," Sensors, Vol. 18, 677, 2018.
doi:10.3390/s18020677

11. Zheng, C., X. Yao, A. Hu, and J. Miao, "A passive millimeter-wave imager used for concealed weapon detection," Progress In Electromagnetics Research B, Vol. 46, 379-397, 2013.
doi:10.2528/PIERB12101505

12. Zheng, C., X. Yao, A. Hu, and J. Miao, "Initial results of a passive millimeter-wave imager used for concealed weapon detection Bhu-2d-U," Progress In Electromagnetics Research C, Vol. 43, 151-163, 2013.
doi:10.2528/PIERC13062801

13. Asif, M., X. Guo, J. Zhang, et al. "Frequency based design partitioning to achieve higher throughput in digital cross correlator for aperture synthesis passive MMW imager," Sensors, Vol. 18, 1238, 2018.
doi:10.3390/s18041238

14. Li, J., "The measure and the application of the vector modulator," Electronic Science & Technology, Vol. 1, No. 1, 109-112, 2014.

15. Wang, C. and J. Miao, "Implementation and broadband calibration of a multichannel vector modulator module," IET Sci. Meas. Technol., Vol. 11, No. 2, 155-163, 2017.
doi:10.1049/iet-smt.2016.0072

16. Qiao, H.-L., J.-Y. Yu, and C. Wang, "Study on the real-time phase calibration of interferometer," Journal of CAEIT, Vol. 11, No. 4, 574-576, 2016.

17. Kelly, D. F. and W. L. Stutzman, "Array antenna pattern modeling methods that include mutual coupling effects," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 41, No. 12, 1625-1632, 1993.
doi:10.1109/8.273305

18. Sayers, A. E., W. M. Dorsey, K. W. O’Haver, et al. "Planar nearfield measurement of digital phased arrays using near-field scan plane reconstruction," IEEE Transaction on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 60, No. 4, 2711-2718, 2012.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2012.2194666

19. Medina, R. H., J. L. Salazar, E. J. Knapp, et al. "Calibration and validation of the CASA phased array antenna," Proceeding of the 42nd European Microwave Conference, 940-943, Amsterdam, 2012.

20. Mano, S. and T. Katagi, "A method for measuring amplitude and phase of each radiating element of a phased array," Electronics and Communication in Japan, Part 2, Vol. 65, No. 3, 58-64, 1982.
doi:10.1002/ecja.4410650508

21. Haryu, K., I. Chiba, S. Mano, et al. "Near-field measurement method of a phased-array antennameasurement of element amplitude and phase for array," Electronics and Communication in Japan, Part 1, Vol. 79, No. 12, 97-105, 1996.
doi:10.1002/ecja.4410791210

22. Takahashi, T., Y. Konishi, S. Makino, et al. "Fast measurement technique for phased array calibration," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 56, No. 5, 1888-1899, 2008.
doi:10.1109/TAP.2008.924682

23. Liu, M. and Z. Feng, "Combined rotating-element electric-field vector (CREV) method for nearfield calibration of phased array antenna," 5th International Conference on Microwave and Millimeter Wave Technology, Guilin, 2007.

24. Matsumoto, Y., I. Yamazaki, and S. Hama, "Calibration method of mutual coupling in beam forming network for phased-array antennas," Electronics and Communication in Japan, Part 1, Vol. 84, No. 1, 40-47, 2001.
doi:10.1002/1520-6432(200101)84:1<40::AID-ECJB5>3.0.CO;2-E

25. Silverstein, S. D., "Application of orthogonal codes to the calibration of active phased array antennas for communication satellites," IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing, Vol. 45, No. 1, 206-218, 1997.
doi:10.1109/78.552217

26. Auman, H. M., A. J. Fenn, and F. G. Willwerth, "Phased array antenna calibration and pattern prediction using mutual coupling measurements," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 37, No. 5, 844-850, 1989.
doi:10.1109/8.29378

27. Rumiko, Y., K. Yoshihiko, C. Isamu, and K. Takashi, "Beam-shape correction in deployable phased arrays,", Vol. 47, No. 1, 482-486, 1999.

28. Toru, T., K. Yoshihiko, M. Shigeru, O. Hiroyuki, and N. Hiromasa, "Fast measurement technique for phased array calibration," IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation, Vol. 56, No. 5, 1888-1899, 2008.

29. Analog Devices, Inc. "AD8341 data sheet,", 2017, available at http://www.analog.com/media/en-/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD8341.pdf.

30. Analog Devices, Inc. "AD5668 data sheet,", 2017, available at https://www.analog.com/media/en-/technical-documentation/data-sheets/AD5628 5648 5668.pdf.

31. Intel, Inc. "Cyclone III device handbook,", 2017, available at https://www.intel.com/content/dam-/www/programmable/us/en/pdfs/literature/hb/cyc3/cyclone3 handbook.pdf.

Dr. Canwei Xin

Dr. Anyong Hu

Dr. Kai Liu

Dr. Wenjie Lv

Dr. Jungang Miao