Standoff concealed weapon detection using a 350-GHz radar imaging system

David M. Sheen; Thomas E. Hall; Ronald H. Severtsen; Douglas L. McMakin; Brian K. Hatchell; Patrick L. J. Valdez

doi:10.1117/12.852788

27 April 2010 Standoff concealed weapon detection using a 350-GHz radar imaging system

David M. Sheen, Thomas E. Hall, Ronald H. Severtsen, Douglas L. McMakin, Brian K. Hatchell, Patrick L. J. Valdez

Proceedings Volume 7670, Passive Millimeter-Wave Imaging Technology XIII; 767008 (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.852788
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2010, Orlando, Florida, United States

Abstract

The sub-millimeter (sub-mm) wave frequency band from 300 - 1000 GHz is currently being developed for standoff concealed weapon detection imaging applications. This frequency band is of interest due to the unique combination of high resolution and clothing penetration. The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is currently developing a 350 GHz, active, wideband, three-dimensional, radar imaging system to evaluate the feasibility of active sub-mm imaging for standoff detection. Standoff concealed weapon and explosive detection is a pressing national and international need for both civilian and military security, as it may allow screening at safer distances than portal screening techniques. PNNL has developed a prototype active wideband 350 GHz radar imaging system based on a wideband, heterodyne, frequency-multiplier-based transceiver system coupled to a quasi-optical focusing system and high-speed rotating conical scanner. This prototype system operates at ranges up to 10+ meters, and can acquire an image in 10 - 20 seconds, which is fast enough to scan cooperative personnel for concealed weapons. The wideband operation of this system provides accurate ranging information, and the images obtained are fully three-dimensional. During the past year, several improvements to the system have been designed and implemented, including increased imaging speed using improved balancing techniques, wider bandwidth, and improved image processing techniques. In this paper, the imaging system is described in detail and numerous imaging results are presented.

Citation Download Citation

David M. Sheen, Thomas E. Hall, Ronald H. Severtsen, Douglas L. McMakin, Brian K. Hatchell, and Patrick L. J. Valdez "Standoff concealed weapon detection using a 350-GHz radar imaging system", Proc. SPIE 7670, Passive Millimeter-Wave Imaging Technology XIII, 767008 (27 April 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.852788

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