Active Mode Millimeter Wave Imaging

This proposal addresses an approach to millimeter wave imaging called encoded image detection (EID). The concept offers a means of achieving a low cost, all weather seeker for smart munition and submunitions. Its low cost potential makes adaptation of the imager also attractive for a variety of other military applications such as search and rescue, surveillance, and security. Most current development of millimeter wave imaging is based on focal plane array (FPA) technology. A FPA imager has speed and (theoretical) sensitivity advantages over a method of scanning the image with a single detector, but these advantages will be realized with significant system cost and complexity. In addition, a practical issue of gain stabilization for a thousand or more independent, FPA radiometric channels has not been resolved. Gain stabilization is not a critical issue in the alternative EID approach. Furthermore, the simplified architecture of an EID millimeter wave imager, the key to cost reduction, makes possible a rugged construction of good sensitivity without sacrifice of resolution.