Analysis and Experiments of the Impact of Frequency Ramp Nonlinearity on Range Resolution and Accuracy in LFMCW Radars

Abstract

This paper characterizes the impact of the frequency ramp nonlinearity (FRN) on the range resolution and accuracy in linear-frequency-modulated continuous-wave (LFMCW) radars. A nonlinearity index that adapts to different types of FRN is proposed for rigid analysis. Based on the theoretical analysis and experimental evaluations, a new range-dependent resolution model and a new range-dependent accuracy model are proposed for the LFMCW radars under the influence of different types of FRN. Moreover, a novel design methodology is also proposed which might guide the design of LFMCW radars under the influence of the FRN. Both simulations and experiments are performed to validate the proposed theory and methodology.