PASSIVE MICROWAVE CAMERA

Paul Johnson, Ri-Chee Chou*, John Lovberg, Chris Martin, Brett Spivey
ThermoTrex Corporation
9550 Distribution Avenue
San Diego, CA 92121

Abstract
ThermoTrex Corporation (TIC) has developed a novd microwave imaging
technique that is completely passive and has the ability to image objects and
scenes that are obscured by smoke, fog, clouds, building materials, and opaque
barriers. The system employs an electro-optic approach to reduce system
complexity and cost by orders of magnitude over competing real time high
resolution microwave imaging systems. Potential applications include aircraft
landing, air traffic control, all weather area surveillance, fire detection, and
security.

Introduction
Microwave imaging has advantages over conventional visible or infrared
imaging for many applications because microwave signals can travel through fog,
snow, dust, and clouds much more readily than infrared or visible light waves [ 11,
[2]. TTC has developed a micmwave imaging radiometer, the Passive Microwave
Camera (PMC), that uses a frequency scanned (dispersive) antenna coupled to an
acousto-optic (Bragg cell) s p e c analyzer to form visible images of a scene
through the acquisition of thermal blackbody radiation in the microwave
spectrum. The system functions as a microwave to visible light converter. The
resultant light is imaged by a standard video camera and passed to a computer for
normalization and display at real time frame rates. A concept drawing of the
PMC system is shown in Figure 1. ITC has been awarded US Patent No.
5,121,124 covering this imaging technique.
The ?TC PMC approach has several advantages over other high resolution
passive microwave imaging techniques:
1) Less costly than other real time systems;
2) Less complex than other real time systems;
3) No moving parts;
4) Faster image generation than other systems;
5) Resolution depends area of antenna rather than volume of system
(conformal mounting possible); and
6) Component technology readily available.

These advantages derive from the coupling of frequency scanned antennas to a

multi-channel Bragg cell spectrum analyzer. Competing passive microwave
imaging techniques use either a mechanically scanned single detector (with a
parabolic dish antenna) or a focal plane array of detectors with microwave optics
in front [1]-[3]. These other techniques have severe drawbacks which may limit
their usefulness for many applications. A mechanically scanned single detector is
0-7803-1246-5/93/$3.00 43 1993 IEEE.
25ocl-w

1925

probably the simplest form of PMC,but suffers from an extremely long image
acquisition time, making it unsuitable for real time situations. Focal plane array
systems typically operate by placing a detector array behind some microwave
optics to act as a microwave camera in the same way a charge-coupled device
(CCD)video camera works. In these systems, one microwave detector is required
for each pixel in the resultant image. Costs far focal plane array type systems can
become prohibitively high if a large number of pixels are required. Additionally,
the volume required by such systems is unavoidably quite large. A system with a
3 foot diameter receiving aperture will also require approximately a 3 foot focal
length.

Implementation
A one-dimensional, non-real time PMC that operates at 17-21 GHz using a
1-meter slotted waveguide antenna, shown in Figure 2, was constructed and tested
as a proof-of-principle for this approach. The slotted waveguide antenna is a
frequency scanned antenna with a "look angle" that depends on the frequency of
operation. The output of the antenna, after downconversion and amplification, is
connected as the modulation input to the acoustical transducer of a Bragg cell.
The driving modulation sets up a diffraction grating inside the Bragg cell which
deflects an incident laser beam to an angle dependent on the modulation
frequency. This frequency-dependent beam deflection performs a real time
inversion function for signals from the frequency-scanned antenna. A wide
instantaneous system bandwidth allows many diffraction gratings to coexist inside
the Bragg cell. This deflects the laser to many angles simultaneously, forming the
image.
An example of an image taken with the proof-of-principle PMC is shown in
Figure 3. Each vertical column of pixels is obtained by the frequency scanned
antenna and the Bragg cell processor. The horizontal dimension is obtained by
mechanically steering the antenna. Due to the relatively low frequency of
operation (20 GHz), the spatial resolution of the proof-of-principle system is poor
compared to what can be achieved by systems operating at higher microwave
frequencies.
A real time two-dimensional system operating at 94 GHz is currently under
development. Real time two-dimensional imaging is achieved by using an array
of frequency scanned antennas to drive the channels of a multi-channel Bragg cell
as shown in Figure 1. Imaging in the vertical dimension is accomplished through
frequency scan of the individual channels. The relative phase differences in the
excitation of the individual array elements results in corresponding phase
differences in the individual channels of the Bragg cell. This channel to channel
phase difference tilts the diffraction grating relative to the frequency scanned
direction, forming the horizontal dimension of the image. A sparse array of
slotted waveguide antennas is used to reduce the number of elements required in
the system. Grating lobes are mitigated by incorporating equivalent non-uniform
spacing patterns for elements in the antenna and Bragg cell arrays.

Conclusion
A new approach to passive imaging has been developed that has the potential
to greatly simplify the design and lower the cost of real time, high resolution,
258swP

1926

passive microwave imaging systems. The approach is compatible with current

microwave and optics technology and will be able to take advantage of future
component cost reductions and performance enhancements as they become
available. The approach allows high resolution, real time PMC systems to be
constructed at reasonable cost. Additionally, the camera resolution is dependent
on the area of the antenna rather than volume of system.

References
[l] Y.T.Lo and S. W. Lee, cds., "Antenna Handbook, Theory, Applications, and
Design," Van Nosnand Reinhold, 1988.
[2] F. T.Ulaby, R. K. Moore. A. K.Fung, "Microwave Remote Sensing, Active
and Passive, vol. 1," Arttch House, 1981.
[3] N. R. Erickson, P.F. Goldsmith,G. Novak, R.M. Grosslein, P. J. Viscuso, R.
B. Erickson, and C. R. P"ore,
"A 15element focal plane m a y for 100
GHz," IEEE Trans. Microwave 'Ileory Tech., pp. 1-1 1, Jan. 1992.

CCD
ARRA f

OBSERVED
SCENE

MULTI-CHANNEL
BRAGG CELL
OPTICAL LENS

Figure 1. Passive microwave camera coricept.

1927

Figure 2. TTC proof-of principle passive microwave camera.

92 15485

(A)

(B)

Figure 3. Proof-of-principle system performance at 20 GHz:

(A) Visible light image; (B) Microw'ive image.

2599-WP

1928