Simultaneous frequency and angle-of-arrival measurement of microwave signals utilizing the Talbot effect and pulse interference

Abstract

We propose and demonstrate a simple and efficient scheme for simultaneous frequency and angle-of-arrival (AOA) measurement of microwave signals using the Talbot effect and pulse interference. This method maps the frequency of the microwave signal to the time intervals of output pulses through the Talbot effect, using a specialized sampling and dispersive structure. Concurrently, the phase difference related to the AOA is encoded onto the relative amplitudes of the output pulses via pulse interference. By analyzing both the time intervals and relative amplitudes of the output pulses, precise frequency and AOA values of the microwave signal are simultaneously derived. Simulation results indicate that the system can perform real-time, gap-free frequency and AOA measurements of multiple signals. Proof-of-concept experiments show this method achieves high accuracy, with AOA measurement errors within ±2.9° over a range of −63° to 63°, and frequency measurement errors within ±60 MHz for frequency bands of 2–3 GHz and 12–13 GHz.