For automotive millimeter radar, a method using a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) array antenna is essential for high angle resolution with module miniaturization. MIMO enables us to extend an antenna array with virtual antennas, and a large antenna array aperture enables high resolution angle estimation. Time division multiplex (TDM) MIMO, which is a method to generate virtual array antennas, makes it easy to design radar system integrated circuits. However, this method leads to two issues in signal processing; the phase error reduces the accuracy of angle estimation of a moving target, and the maximum detectable velocity decreases in inverse proportion to the number of Tx antennas. We analytically derived this phase error and proposed a method to correct the error. Because the phase error of TDM-MIMO is proportional to the target velocity, accurate estimation of the target velocity is an important issue for phase error correction. However, the decrease of the maximum detectable velocity in TDM-MIMO reduces the accuracy of both velocity estimation and angle estimation. To solve these issues, we propose new signal processing for range-velocity estimation for TDM-MIMO radar. By using the feedback result of the estimated direction of arrival (DoA), we can avoid decreasing the maximum detectable velocity. We explain our method with our simulation results.

Long-range radars (LRRs) for higher level autonomous driving (AD) will require more antennas than simple driving assistance. The point at issue here is 50-60% of the LRR module area is used for antennas. To miniaturize LRR modules, we use horn and lens antenna with highly efficient gain. In this paper, we propose two high-density implementation techniques for radio-frequency (RF) front-end using horn and lens antennas. In the first technique, the gap between antennas was eliminated by taking advantage of the high isolation performance of horn and lens antennas. In the second technique, the RF front-end including micro-strip-lines, monolithic microwave integrated circuits, and peripheral parts is placed in the valley area of each horn. We fabricated a prototype LRR operating at 77 GHz with only one printed circuit board (PCB). To detect vehicles horizontally and vertically, this LRR has a minimum antenna configuration of one Tx antenna and four Rx antennas placed in 2×2 array, and 30 mm thickness. Evaluation results revealed that vehicles could be detected up to 320 m away and that the horizontal and vertical angle error was less than +/- 0.2 degrees, which is equivalent to the vehicle width over 280 m. Thus, horn and lens antennas implemented using the proposed techniques are very suitable for higher level AD LRRs.

Smaller antenna structures for long-range radar transmitters and receivers operating in the 77-GHz band for automotive application have been achieved by using antennas with a horn, lens, and microstrip antenna. The transmitter (Tx) antenna height was reduced while keeping the antenna gain high and the antenna substrate small by developing an antenna structure composed of two differential horn and lens antennas in which the diameter and focus distance of the lenses were half those in the previous design. The microstrip antennas are directly connected to the differential outputs of a monolithic microwave integrated circuit. A Tx antenna fabricated using commercially available materials was 14mm high and had an output-aperture of 18×44mm. It achieved an antenna gain of 23.5dBi. The antenna substrate must be at least 96mm2. The antenna had a flat beam with half-power elevation and azimuth beamwidths of 4.5° and 21°, respectively. A receiver (Rx) antenna array composed of four sets of horn and lens antennas with an output-aperture of 9×22mm and a two-by-two array configuration was fabricated for application in a newly proposed small front-end module with azimuth direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. The Rx antenna array had an antenna coupling of less than -31dB in the 77-GHz band, which is small enough for DOA estimation by frequency-modulated continuous wave radar receivers even though the four antennas are arranged without any separation between their output-apertures.

Optical waveguiding phenomena at 10.6 µm have been observed in evaporated amorphous Se films with Au-cladding. The far-field analysis has shown that the fundamental TE0 mode is most dominantly confined. The results show that amorphous Se can be used to form planar waveguides for the 10.6 µm radiation of a CO2 laser. It has been also observed that the attenuation of TM modes is much larger than that of TE modes in accordance with the theory of the metal-clad optical waveguides. As an application, a photoelastic modulator utilizing a piezoelectric resonance of the Au-clad amorphous Se waveguide has been fabricated. The PZT piezoelectric ceramics is used as the substrate to excite mechanical vibration. The modulator is operated around its fundamental length-expanding resonance of 211.2 kHz. The band-width and the half-wave voltage are determined to be 5.4 kHz and 55 V, respectively.