Infrared imaging of microwave sources

摘要

Abstract: An infrared imaging technique for testing phased array radars at the system level in the field has been defined and demonstrated in a laboratory test setup. The technique uses a thin radar absorbing film material which is placed near the antenna structure to create thermal patterns which are viewed by an infrared imaging sensor. The thin film sheet resistance can be controlled to vary the absorption, reflection, and sheet temperature characteristics. The infrared image is calibrated radiometrically to provide measures of the microwave power density. Additionally, the thermal profiles show the effect of phasing differences between adjacent antenna elements. This paper describes the predicted and measured thermal characteristics of the absorbing material for a particular S-band waveguide source. This demonstration has shown the feasibility of using an imaging infrared sensor to provide rapid diagnostic evaluation of a phased array antenna.!7