Submillimeter Model Measurements and their Applications to Millimeter Radar Systems

Abstract

A submillimeter-based modeling system has been developed and employed to obtain imaging and radar cross section (RCS) measurements of scale model targets. In these demonstration experiments three submillimeter frequencies at 1288, 2542, and 3125 GHz, obtained from a CO2 optically pumped CH3OH laser were used to model 37, 70, and 90 GHz, respectively. In addition, a CD3OH laser line at 37.6 μm (7980 GHz) has been used to extend these measurements up to 228 GHz. The results obtained demonstrate that the system is capable of providing quantitative radar data.