Compact Ultra-Wideband Target Identification System

Crossfield proposes a high dynamic range, ultra-wideband, receiver-digitizer that will enable implementation of a compact UWB target identification system for the detection and location of targets and weapons concealed behind walls or foliage or hidden on a person. The design features an ultra-wide bandwidth, high dynamic range sampler developed by Picosecond Pulse Labs, followed by a track-and-hold amplifier (THA) and analog-to-digital converter (ADC). The digitized waveforms are captured in a high-speed memory for analysis and display. Crossfield will investigate two approaches to ultra-high-speed sampling: real-time sampling using parallel samplers, THAs and ADCs, and equivalent-time sampling using a single sampler, THA and ADC with precision timing offsets between waveform digitization cycles. At high pulse repetition rates, the later approach will provide high spatial resolution at a much lower cost, lower power and in a more compact size.