System and method for microwave imaging with suppressed sidelobes using a sparse antenna array

摘要

A microwave imaging system suppresses sidelobes in a microwave image captured using a sparse antenna array using an illumination system that operates in two different illumination modes. The antenna array including subarrays of antenna elements arranged in a sparse geometry to form complementary subarray patterns. The illumination system operates in a first mode to transmit microwave illumination to both of the complementary subarray patterns of the antenna array and receive reflected microwave illumination from both of the complementary subarray patterns of the antenna array to produce a first receive signal. The illumination system further operates in a second mode to transmit microwave illumination to a first one of the complementary subarray patterns of the antenna array and receive reflected microwave illumination from a second one of the complementary subarray patterns of the antenna array to produce a second receive signal. Sidelobes are suppressed using a linear combination of the first and second receive signals.