Radar applications of s.a.w. dispersive filters

Pulse-compression radars have been developed in several countries over a period in excess of twenty years. A great advance in the performance of such systems has been made possible with the development of the surface acoustic wave (s.a.w.) interdigital transducer (i.d.t.). In the paper, some recent advances in i.d.t. performance are presented against a background which demonstrates the basic consistency in design techniques for both linear- and nonlinear-chirp signals. Later sections of the paper assess the range of performance now available and consider the ways in which ultimate system performance may be achieved in respect of Doppler shift, coherence, mismatch loss and dynamic range.