Analysis of technological gaps impact on radar cross-section of a collapsible corner reflector

Abstract

Corner reflectors used for calibration of radar stations, despite their apparent simplicity, have a number of disadvantages that manifest themselves both in the design and in their manufacture and operation. One of the main disadvantages is that in order to achieve high values of the radar cross-section (RCS), corner reflectors must have large linear dimensions. In addition, to ensure reliable electrical contact, their designs are usually non-separable. All of the above together complicates their operation and transportation, due to the large dimensions and weight of the products. The aim of the article is to develop and investigate by strict electrodynamic methods a corner reflector of a collapsible lightweight design, as well as to evaluate the influence of design features on RCS. The paper presents the results of modeling corner reflectors of a prefabricated structure by strict electrodynamic methods and investigates the influence of design features on its RCS. In particular, the influence of gaps at the top and between the edges of the reflector has been analyzed, the limits of the permissible sizes of these defects have been determined. Based on the results of the study, a lightweight collapsible layout of a corner reflector with square faces has been developed and manufactured. The correspondence of the RCS of the manufactured corner reflector layout to the calculated values has been experimentally confirmed. The performed studies have shown the practical feasibility of lightweight corner reflectors of collapsible design and confirmed the possibility of their use in radar system testing. Information about the impact of defects in the manufacture of corner reflectors on their RCS enables developers to use simpler and cheaper technological and design solutions in the development of corner reflectors.