Comparison of Custom Digital Synthesizers for Advanced Radar Waveforms in Radio Frequency Systems-on-Chip (RFSoCs)
Abstract
Radio Frequency Systems-on-Chip (RFSoCs) are gaining prominence for their ability to accelerate the process of software-defined radio (SDR) development because computational power, storage, and high-speed communications are combined with integrated high-speed data converters. Since RFSoCs bring together diverse competencies such as software, hardware, and RF engineering, exploration of new digital RF paradigms is required to maximize their potential. Implementation of radars using SDRs is a growing trend and can be efficiently realized in RFSoCs. Specifically, advanced radar waveforms using linear frequency modulation (LFM) are becoming industry standard because they improve target range resolution. In this research, we design and implement two types of custom digital synthesizers of radar waveforms: a linear frequency modulation generator (LFMGEN) and a variable direct digital synthesizer (VARDDS). Both synthesizers are capable of generating up to 1-GHz instantaneous bandwidth of LFM radar waveforms and are demonstrated in the Xilinx RFSoC using external RF measurement equipment. Each synthesizer is shown to have advantages and disadvantages; in particular, the LFMGEN can arbitrarily define and start new LFM radar pulse trains from software control in only 64 ns but requires twice the power-per-bandwidth of the VARDDS.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2022
- Accession Number
- AD1171135
Entities
People
- Edward Viveiros
- William Diehl
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory