Application of Sparse Array and MIMO in Near Range Microwave Imaging

Near range microwave imaging systems have broad application prospects in the field of concealed weapon detection, biomedical imaging, nondestructive testing, etc. In this paper, the techniques of MIMO and sparse line array are applied to near range microwave imaging, which can greatly reduce the complexity of imaging systems. In detail, the paper establishes two-dimensional near range MIMO imaging geometry and corresponding echo model, where the imaging geometry is formed by arranging sparse antenna array in azimuth direction and transmitting broadband signals in range direction; then, by analyzing the relationship between MIMO and convolution principle, the paper develops a method of arranging sparse line array which can be equivalent to a full array; and the paper deduces the backprojection algorithm applied to near ranging MIMO imaging geometry; finally, the imaging geometry and corresponding imaging algorithm proposed in this paper are investigated and verified by means of theoretical analysis and numerical simulations.